Kyle Kuzma
You know how you're in elementary school and the teacher goes around the room and, like, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' I said, 'NBA player.' And she's like, 'Well, OK. Maybe pick a real job.' But I really believed it. I felt like I was meant to be here.Collection: Teacher
I was always thankful for the YMCA. Of course, growing up, you don't really think about it, because when you're a kid, you're in your own world. But back then, it was just so much. I'm going to go the Y, hanging out, playing games all day, playing basketball.Collection: Thankful
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.
A lot of people think it takes millions of dollars to give back or inspire, but just you showing up means a lot.
When I'm locked in and focused, I can do pretty much anything I want.
I have that blue-collar mentality. I've always played with a chip on my shoulder, and I've always been hungry to learn.
NBA's spacing's really helped. Teams gotta really respect my jumper.
I don't want to be one of those guys who makes it somewhere and forgets where they come from. Flint is very important to me.
I just want to be one of the greatest players to play. That's my mind set. That's how I approach the game.
Growing up, I was a Detroit Pistons fan, being from Flint. During not the Bad Boys but Chauncey Billups and Ben Wallace era, and growing up, I always wanted to be a Piston.
I'm always confident, always expect high expectations for myself.
I just want to be a complete player.
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.
I've never really been a numbers guy... I like to score, for sure... but my main thing is I want to win.
All the top guys are complete players, and if I'm not, I won't be there.
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 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.
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.
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.
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 want to clean up my handle. Get stronger. Those are the things that will help me out in the long run.
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.
I've always been a self-motivated guy for basketball.
Until you're a rookie, you don't know what NBA game shape is.
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.
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.
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.
I've got a chance to be really special.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I've got the same mentality every time I step on the floor - play my hardest and just be locked in.
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.
I'm really looking to facilitate, find my teammates.
Can't blame the coaching staff for everything. It's mutual, of course. Players mess up, coaches mess up.
In our society, social media's so big in our lives. It's all over the place.
ESPN puts out anything for clicks now, it kind of seems like.
I'm more off ball, catch and go, spot-ups, cutting.
Mom was always worrying about the rent.
Any time you have any type of record in any record book, especially with the Lakers, it is pretty special.
Every day's a challenge. You learn every single day.
I'm a mismatch at the four, so a lot of times, I have slower guys on me, and I can exploit that.
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.
I got a lot of confidence in myself.
I just try to play the right way.
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.
I am always a woke person, know about things, always feel a certain type of way.
I can be pretty much anything I want.