Kyle “Clarence Withers” Kuzma is the steal of this year’s draft. No doubt about it now. With this performance he is leading all 2017 draftees in points per game at nearly 16. I admit, I didn’t believe the insane rabid-Lakers-fanbase-fueled hype after his great Summer League. Tons of dudes do good in Summer League. Jerryd Bayless does good in Summer League. So does Yuki Togashi. It doesn’t mean anything. There was no reason for me to believe that his skills would translate against the full-grown, bearded men of the NBA.
Yet here we are. 30 points for the Kuz Ball (just reappropriated that nickname from Mindaugas Kuzminskas because he sure as shinola isn’t going to need it anymore). 30 ever-loving points, 28 (!!!) of them in the second half, he was showing the entire repertoire tonight. And, hearkening back to Summer League again, he showed some good leak-out chemistry with Lonzo Ball. No need to dribble off a make or miss by the other team if you can just run straight to the rim and he can pass it to you!
I am firmly on the Kuzma hype-train now. I was hesitating before, but now I’m ready to board. Choo choo!
Let it be known that I remain on the Ivica Zubac hype-train and there is nothing anyone can do to get me off. I’m staying on this thing until it derails completely.