In the two years that Kyle Kuzma has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, he’s provided contributions on the court that have raised his stature amongst fans and experts alike.
As he gets set to begin his third NBA season, he’s now becoming a force off the court by signing a five-year endorsement deal with Puma.
Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma (@kylekuzma) has signed a five-year endorsement deal with Puma, becoming a face of the company, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 2, 2019
No terms concerning the deal were announced. Yet considering how he’ll now be considered the face of the company, it’s likely a lucrative situation for the fledgling star.
The 24-year-old Kuzma was originally drafted by the Brooklyn Nets with the 27th overall selection of the 2017 NBA draft. In a huge deal that same night, he and Brook Lopez were sent to the Lakers, with Kuzma then starting 37 of the 77 games he played in during the 2017-18 season.
His efforts that season earned him a spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team.
Last season, Kuzma was in the starting lineup for all but two of his 70 appearances and averaged 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. His averages in the points and assists categories were improvements from his rookie numbers.
For the 2019-20 campaign, the presence of both LeBron James and Anthony Davis at the forward spots figure to change how Kuzma has been utilized by the Lakers in the past. During the offseason, Kuzma indicated that he would be willing to put in some time at center.
Right now, Kuzma is focused on getting back to full health after suffering a stress fracture in his left leg in August. The Lakers have stated that they aren’t concerned about the timeline as to when he’ll return to the court, but they’re certainly hoping it will be in time for the season-opener on Oct. 22.
