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Lakers say work ethic makes second-year players Kuzma, Mitchell so special

El Segundo, Calif. • It’s perhaps an unfair expectation, but an expectation nonetheless that NBA players are supposed to make a big leap from Year 1 to Year 2.

Donovan Mitchell experiences it every time a Jazz fan wonders about him pressing offensively, or his shot selection.

Former University of Utah standout and current Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma, an unexpected rookie sensation a season ago, is experiencing the ups and downs now, too.

Kuzma’s numbers, in a vacuum, would seem to indicate progress in some areas and regression in others.