FILE–LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards hug after an NBA recreation at Capital One Enviornment on March 19, 2022 in Washington, DC. Patrick Smith/Getty Pictures/AFP
MANILA, Philippines—Not a whole lot of NBA gamers can say they received to make recollections with two legends of their skilled careers.
Even fewer can say they’ve skilled what it’s like being below the tutelage of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James whereas enjoying for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kyle Kuzma is likely one of the choose few.
READ: NBA: Kyle Kuzma aiming to assist Wizards construct ‘profitable tradition’
“I used to be very blessed and unlucky after I first got here into the NBA and constructed a relationship with him and requested him lots whether or not it was about basketball, life, enterprise relationships, what to do or to not do,” mentioned Kuzma in a press convention on Monday in Makati.
“Having anyone like that as a mentor to simply information me and take his phrases and do no matter with them, it’s invaluable.”
Kuzma was a late first-round draft decide by the Lakers in 2017 a 12 months after Bryant retired.
Retirement, nevertheless, didn’t cease Bryant from actively serving to out the Lakers’ younger weapons, which included Kuzma.
A 12 months later, LeBron James took his abilities to Hollywood and led the Lakers to a championship in 2020 simply 9 months after Bryant’s loss of life.
READ: Kyle Kuzma’s love for vogue, artwork began when he was younger
“[I’m] tremendous blessed. Not many individuals can try this, having the ability to play with Bron and having a relationship with Kobe,” mentioned Kuzma, who performed a key function within the Lakers’ title run.
“There’s so many different individuals. I’ve performed with Rajon Rondo, all-time nice Dwight Howard, that listing goes so broad and to date and so they’re who I discovered from so I’m blessed, tremendous blessed.”
Kuzma performed 4 seasons with the Lakers earlier than he was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2021 as a part of the Russell Westbrook deal.
With the ability to play with Bryant, James and several other future Corridor of Famers grew to become some extent of motivation for Kuzma to do higher with the struggling Wizards, who completed with the second-worst document within the league final season.
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Kuzma averaged 22.2 factors, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Wizards within the 2024 season as Washington’s main scorer behind Jordan Poole, who normed 16.1 factors per outing.