Almost immediately after being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the No. 27 overall pick in 2017, Kyle Kuzma began his rapid ascent to NBA stardom.
The Lakers have had luck finding productive players late in the draft over the past few years, but none that came in and made an immediate impact the way Kuzma did. His strong play earned him a spot in the NBA’s Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend and a spot on the All-Rookie First Team.
For most people, Kuzma’s breakout rookie season came as a surprise, but Tyson Chandler told Kevin Ding of Lakers.