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This past weekend, Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma visited the Philippines as part of his tour around Asia. One of the most trendy basketball topics surrounding the aforementioned country at the moment is the introduction of a four-point line in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in an attempt to drum up interest in a league that has lost plenty of its fans over the years.
Some couldn't help but feel as though the four-point line is way too gimmicky in that it will drastically change how the game is played. But for the Wizards forward, he believes that this new game mechanic could be beneficial in the long run.
“Yeah, 100 percent. I think it’s good for the game,” Kuzma told reporters, per GMA News. “A lot of us can shoot from that far. I think it’ll be more dramatic in the NBA, and fans will probably like it too.”
There are already plenty of old heads complaining about how the three-point line has made basketball a fundamentally broken sport. Shots from a certain distance that count for 1.5-times more than a regular field goal make it so that defenses are stretched — imagine just how much more difficult defense would be in the NBA if the likes of Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard were allowed to let it fly from a distance that would net a team four points with one made basket?
The PBA's four-point line is 27 feet away from the basket. Curry and Lillard make shots from that kind of distance with their eyes closed. The NBA is simply not prepared to accommodate for this kind of revolutionary change given the skill level present in the association.
Perhaps the NBA could implement the four-point line in games that don't matter, such as the All-Star Game. The ASG as we knew it appears to be gone for good, so why not just give players even more reason to enjoy what is, at the end of the day, a meaningless game?
Regardless, even with a four-point line, it's not like Kyle Kuzma would do much damage from that range. Last year, he went 4-20 on shots from 30 feet and beyond, and his accuracy on shots from 25 to 29 feet was not the best (94-294, 32.0 percent). Kuzma may simply want to watch the game evolve even further, but the Wizards forward's life will become more difficult if this change were to happen. Be careful what you wish for, Kuz.
Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma receives the love from the Philippines
The Philippines is known for being one of the most outspokenly basketball-loving countries in the world, and Kyle Kuzma received a warm reception because of it. Despite being delayed in his arrival in Manila, fans still flocked to the airport to witness him set feet in the country for the first time. It's unlikely that this would be the last time Kuzma visits the country, however, as he is more than grateful for all the love he received.
“Big Philippines, I feel the love,” said Kuzma, per Inquirer.
Kuzma may now be with the Wizards, but plenty of fans still recall his productive days as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Philippines is Lakers country, which meant that Kuzma was and still is a fan favorite to this day. He, of course, is connected to Jordan Clarkson as well, his former Lakers teammate with Filipino roots.
