When ESPN is running in-game graphics featuring your name alongside Elgin Baylor, Magic Johnson, and Jerry West for most points per game as a Los Angeles Lakers rookie, it’s safe to say you’re probably going to be alright in the National Basketball Association. Kyle Kuzma, who Lakers fans see as somewhere in between an illuminated gem of a 27th pick and a sort of hybrid Jesus and Kobe Bryant, is the hottest commodity to hit Los Angeles since cold-brew.
Kuzma’s 16.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game show the blueprint of something special, despite his numbers coming back down to earth a bit after a December that led to his earning Western Conference Rookie of the Month.