Kuzma hits favorite spots in his old city
SALT LAKE CITY — It was the second day of a back-to-back for the Lakers, so even though Kyle Kuzma was returning to the city where he spent the last four years of his life, he didn’t want to overload himself. Just the hits. First breakfast at a nofrills diner. He gets it every time. The Michigan hash — pork, potatoes, sausage, onion, mushrooms and peppers, topped with cheddar cheese and two eggs. Then he adds a side order of french toast to go along with it.
Then he stopped over to visit his Salt Lake City barber.
“Barber got me right,” Kuzma said.
The Lakers’ second trip of the season offered some familiarity for the rookie. He played college basketball at Utah. He returns having quickly become a key part of the Lakers’ rotation.
“NBA’s spacing’s really helped,” Kuzma said. “Teams gotta really respect my jumper. I’m a mismatch at the four so a lot of times I have slower guys on me and I can exploit that. “
He wasn’t a star in college. When point guard Lonzo Ball has said he never even remembered Kuzma in games when UCLA played Utah last year, it’s only partially in jest. Kuzma spent four seasons at Utah. He redshirted in his first year, then played three seasons, earning a degree in that time.
Kuzma had a strong junior year at Utah, averaging 16.4 points and 9.3 rebounds. But not until the NBA draft combine did many teams really start to notice him.
“I mean, it’s been a heck of a journey for him,” Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak said. “We have it printed in our program or in our facility. We talk about the process a lot, not having shortcuts and putting in the work. … He’s an extremely hard worker, grounded kid, really matured. His body changed. I think you can see what playing with some confidence will do for you.”
Krystkowiak attended Saturday’s game and visited with Kuzma before it. He wasn’t the only person there for Kuzma. A row of courtside fans, donning Utah gear, declared themselves there to see Kuzma. And during the game, when he hit a three-pointer, it didn’t matter that he was wearing the opposing team’s jersey, he still got a smattering of cheers and a brief “Kuuuz” chant.
“I got a lot of confidence in myself,” Kuzma said. “Every time I’m on the court, I think I’m the best player. That’s the mind-set a lot of players should have.”
Etc.
Having played three games in four nights, and two on consecutive nights, the Lakers will get Sunday off before returning to work. … Kuzma isn’t the only Lakers player who went to Utah. Lakers big man Andrew Bogut is the only player in the Utes’ history to have been taken first overall in the NBA draft, in 2005 by Milwaukee.