There was little fanfare when the Los Angeles Lakers selected Kyle Kuzma with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He gained notoriety at the Las Vegas Summer League, earning MVP honors of the championship game, and carried that momentum into the preseason.
But questions remained whether Kuzma would find similar success come the NBA season. That was quickly answered, and for a brief stretch he was in the discussion for Rookie of the Year.
Although Kuzma eventually faded from consideration, he had nothing short of a remarkable first season. One of his better performances came in the Lakers’ upset of the Boston Celtics.