There's not that many tough guys that really talk trash in the NBA.
Kyle Kuzma
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.
NBA's spacing's really helped. Teams gotta really respect my jumper.
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 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.
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 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've just always played with a big chip on my shoulder, and that keeps fueling me.
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'm talented, but my work ethic has pushed me over the top.
My favorite commentator, NBA-wise, is probably Doris Burke.
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.
Everybody is going to have tough shooting nights. It's natural.
People assume that, as an NBA athlete, you can get access to any kind of sneaker you want, when in reality, it's hard to get the exclusive releases or shoes from the past and feel confident they're authentic.
Everybody wants to be a starter, and I feel like I'm a starter in this league, but I can't necessarily control that.
I'm the 27th pick - not too many people thought I was gonna play the way I am. It's just a testament to having confidence and work ethic and believing in yourself and keeping the marathon going.
Coming from Flint, I was really immature on the court and off the court.
It's a great feeling when people recognize you, but at the same time, you gotta take it with a grain of salt, continue to work so you get better, because people can change on you; thoughts can change.
I have that blue-collar mentality. I've always played with a chip on my shoulder, and I've always been hungry to learn.
I went to school at the University of Utah, and they had outstanding facilities and coaches that helped me grow and mature as a person.
Utah is a very special place for me. It helped me a lot.
LeBron is a role model in that sense. Because for him to be as good as he is and how high up he is on the totem pole, to still care about Akron, Ohio, that is tremendous and speaks volumes.
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 wanted to explore the world and explore life. I wanted to have more to life than Flint.
As a kid, I always loved sneakers and style.
There's always going to be obstacles and people that doubt you. So it's about proving people wrong and bettering yourself and trying to be the best you.
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.
Flint is a very tough place to live. The environment is definitely a different type of environment than anywhere else in the country, I feel like.
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.
There are endless possibilities for what I can wear on and off the court.
People really don't watch TV no more - it's all about social media. I think it's a great platform for showing off your brand, who you are, interacting with fans, interacting with people in general.
I'm just very confident at all times. I've always been like that, no matter who's guarding me or who I'm on the court with.
Once I got to college, I didn't know defensive rotations; my footwork was sloppy. I used to travel every other play.
I was a young kid, and the YMCA was my second home, where my mom was dropping me off for seven, eight hours. I'd spend the day doing what I love: hoop.
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.
I just try to play the right way.
I'm more off ball, catch and go, spot-ups, cutting.
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.
On draft day, I wasn't really nervous at all. Then you turn on the draft, the first five picks go by, and then you still thinking, 'Oh man, I don't know where I'm going to go.' It's really just, by the time draft hits, that's when you get nervous.
Lifestyle-wise, like L.A. in general, Utah is very conservative, very laid back, and L.A. is nothing like that.
Really, every time I post something, it goes viral.
Until you're a rookie, you don't know what NBA game shape is.
I cherish being on the court, and I really love watching basketball, women's basketball, whatever it is.
Growing up, I was always that kid that kinda watched All-Star Weekend on TV, every event.
I'm a competitive person.
When I joined the Lakers and moved to L.A., I started getting more serious about collecting sneakers and dressing from the feet up.
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'm a mismatch at the four, so a lot of times, I have slower guys on me, and I can exploit that.
In high school, AAU, even prep school, I didn't really know how to play basketball. It was kind of like, 'Let's throw the balls out, go get buckets, just score, and go play.'
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.
