Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma has been named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for November.
Kuzma, the 27th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft out of Utah, averaged 18.2 points and 6.7 rebounds while shooting 49 percent from the floor in 34 minutes during the 13 games he played in November. He started 11 of those 13 games as he stepped in for the injured Larry Nance Jr.
Kuzma recorded six 20-point games and three 20-point, 10-rebound games during the month. That includes a big 30-point performance in a losing effort against the Phoenix Suns.
Article Continues BelowKuzma was unsurprisingly delighted with winning the award, although he would’ve preferred the Lakers to have a winning record along with it, via Alex Vejar of AV Press Sports.
.@kylekuzma on winning Western Conference Rookie of the Month: “It’s pretty cool for sure. I wish I was rookie of the month and we had a winning record, too. That’d probably be even better. But it’s definitely a great accomplishment, especially the first one of the season."
— Alex Vejar (Tortured Poet version) (@AlexMVejar) December 1, 2017
Despite doing very well during his stint as a starter, Kuzma has since been moved back to the bench with Nance’s return from a hand injury. However, the surprising rookie has long established himself as a key part of the Lakers rotation and will likely continue to play an important role throughout his rookie season.