Now that the NBA has removed restrictions on the color ways we can wear on court, I can be as expressive as I want.
— Kyle Kuzma
It was great to be in the gym with Kobe. He's so particular about the game and... why and how things work. That's one thing I kind of love about him. If you ask him something, he's going to tell you A, B, C, and D, and how that affects each play.
I am always a woke person, know about things, always feel a certain type of way.
I got a lot of confidence in myself.
NBA's spacing's really helped. Teams gotta really respect my jumper.
Mom was always worrying about the rent.
ESPN puts out anything for clicks now, it kind of seems like.
I'm really looking to facilitate, find my teammates.
Going into a new school, you don't want to be the new kid and be quiet and shy. You want to stand out. You want people to know who you are in that school. I think that also helped me growing up. I always wanted people to know me throughout the school.
You can have a strong work ethic. Yes, that's going to take you far. But I think if you have a solid work ethic and a passion, that's different.
I've got a chance to be really special.
I don't go to malls. I've just always been a simple person. I hang out, work out. That's what I think is fun.
I've always been a self-motivated guy for basketball.
Sure, there's a lot of negativity, but basketball is such a huge thing in my community. Flint has a very rich tradition in basketball.
I think I can bring to the NBA versatility. I feel like the league is going toward four men that can pass, dribble, shoot, rebound, defend. I think I can do all that and bring that to the table at the highest level.
All the top guys are complete players, and if I'm not, I won't be there.
I just want to be a complete player.
It's tough to win on the road, you know... at the end of the day, it's just tough to win on the road.
I've just always played with a big chip on my shoulder, and that keeps fueling me.
I always said if I had a platform to speak, I am going to speak. I feel it is just important, not only for African American-related things but world things in general.
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.
Every day's a challenge. You learn every single day.
I'm a competitive person.
In our society, social media's so big in our lives. It's all over the place.
People don't really understand how important our voices are. I think there's a lot of athletes that don't use their power that really should.
My friends, they all say that I'm turning Hollywood. Big-time. And I want to be that. I want to be a guy who's bigger than what they say. You look at Kobe. Michael Jordan. Somebody like Michael Jackson. Those guys are bigger than life. I strive to be that.
You've got to be the anchor of the defense at that five position. Call out pick-and-rolls, screens. The five is usually around the rim, so you see everything.
I never really had role models or guys in the NBA to show me the ropes or be a friend, mentor to me like that.
Being in the weight room has helped me. Defensively, it helps because I'm not getting backed down easily. My legs are stronger, so I can move my feet better.
I have a very high love for the game. My mom would always drop me off at the YMCA downtown in Flint, and I'd stay there all day. If she couldn't take me, I'd take the bus there and be there until she'd pick me up when she got off work. I've always had the love for basketball.
Flint is a big, industrial city. But when I was growing up, they had the recession, lead in the water, and all this other stuff. The city was really depleted.
When I'm locked in and focused, I can do pretty much anything I want.
I've never really been a numbers guy... I like to score, for sure... but my main thing is I want to win.
Everybody is going to have tough shooting nights. It's natural.
I can be pretty much anything I want.
I just try to play the right way.
I'm a mismatch at the four, so a lot of times, I have slower guys on me, and I can exploit that.
Any time you have any type of record in any record book, especially with the Lakers, it is pretty special.
I'm more off ball, catch and go, spot-ups, cutting.
Can't blame the coaching staff for everything. It's mutual, of course. Players mess up, coaches mess up.
I've got the same mentality every time I step on the floor - play my hardest and just be locked in.
A lot people have a strong work ethic because they want the lifestyle, or they want the money, but me, I have a hard work ethic because I love the game.
I just want to be one of the greatest players to play. That's my mind set. That's how I approach the game.
That's one thing I try to take pride in: not changing up. Just being who I am, and having people love me or hate me for who I am.
Until you're a rookie, you don't know what NBA game shape is.
I want to clean up my handle. Get stronger. Those are the things that will help me out in the long run.
It's one thing to talk to a vet about something, but when you're talking to a fellow rookie going through the same struggles you are, you kind of understand it - and you grow together like that.
You're going to have people that are high on you one day and low on you the next. For me, it's just to stay levelheaded and stay working.
I've always kinda guarded perimeter guys. I'm a little bit more comfortable guarding guys off screens. It kinda keeps me engaged in the game, locked in.
