Kyle Kuzma would have been donning a different uniform in his first year in the NBA if he had not been selected by the Los Angeles Lakers 27th overall in this year’s NBA Draft. In an appearance on the LN Podcast, Kuzma’s trainer, Clint Parker, disclosed that he thought the Spurs were going to get Kuzma if the former Utah Ute standout remained undrafted until San Antonio’s turn.
“He had a good feeling about his Lakers workout. I remember when he came in for his Lakers workout we worked out the night before at the facility and he was shooting the ball well, his body was feeling good and he was really confident. He had been having good workouts and he was ready to put on a show for the front office and the coaching staff and I think he did that in his workout. He carried that over from the combine so that they could see that it wasn’t a fluke. When the draft came, him and his agent felt comfortable that if he was around at 27 that the Lakers were going to take him. I know the Spurs were also really interested in him as well (with the 29th pick).”
Instead, the Spurs spent their first-round pick on selecting the Colorado product and point guard Derrick White, who’s played in just seven games for San Antonio this season. Kuzma, on the other hand, is turning out to be a huge draft steal for the Lakers. Kuzma is in the thick of the Rookie of the Year award race, as he’s leading the Lakers in scoring with 17.8 points per game on 48.1 percent shooting from the field. He’s also adding 6.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists per contest.
No one should be closing the book on White, but with the benefit of hindsight, the Spurs would have taken Kuzma if he was still on the board when it was their time to announce their pick.
In any case, the Spurs will get a first-hand look at the one that got away for them on Jan. 11, when the Lakers face off with San Antonio at Staples Center.
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