When LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, the biggest question was how the team’s young players would mesh with him.
Though Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball each began finding their stride with James as the 2018-19 NBA season went on, the best fit without a doubt was Kyle Kuzma.
Even though James and Kuzma basically play the same position, their games fit perfectly. James’ court vision might be his biggest strength and Kuzma is excellent at finding open spots on the court to score.
However, their relationship stretches further than that as Kuzma went into at the team’s recent exit interviews.
“It was great. My relationship with him has been good all year,” Kuzma said about James. “Ever since he’s come here, I made sure that I was right up under him so I can learn a lot. Any time you get to play with a great player like that, you want to learn.”
This desire to learn and be great is one of the things that has endeared Kuzma to the organization and fans in his short time with the Lakers.
Kuzma wants to be a great player and will do any and everything to get to that point. He puts in the work and being around James gives him the opportunity to learn from one of the all-time greatest players.
“For me, I want to be a great player. He’s been there, done that. Been in the league 16 years going on 17. Accomplished everything you can accomplish and it’s been great.”
With the offseason underway, the Lakers will obviously be looking to add another big name to the team. Free agency will get the attention, but there is also the chance of the Lakers pulling off a big trade, though involving Kuzma in one of those would apparently mean they would be getting back a top-three player.
As it stands, it seems likely that Kuzma will remain in purple and gold which will just give him more time to pick the brain of James.