Originally the No. 27 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, Kyle Kuzma’s play on the court has helped him with his growing off-the-court opportunities so far.
Widely considered as the steal of that year’s draft, Kuzma has averaged 17.3 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 147 games in his first two seasons with the Lakers.
As Kuzma was the only member of the team’s young core not to be included in the Anthony Davis trade, there are expectations he will be a part of the Lakers long-term.
And earlier in the 2019 NBA offseason, Kuzma parted ways with Priority Sports agents Mark Bartelstein and Zach Kurtin, according to Tania Ganguli of Los Angeles Times:
With an eye toward growing his business interests, Kyle Kuzma is parting ways with his agents, Mark Bartelstein and Zach Kurtin of Priority Sports and Entertainment, according to sources. He hasn’t started meeting with prospective agents yet.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) July 19, 2019
With the 2019-20 NBA season approaching, Kuzma has signed with Creative Artists Agency for his on- and off-court representation, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
Los Angeles Lakers F Kyle Kuzma has signed with @CAA_Basketball for his on and off court representation.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 28, 2019
Since arriving in Los Angeles, Kuzma has maximized all of his opportunities and Creative Artists Agency should help him take the next step in his young career. Kuzma’s former teammate, Lonzo Ball, also recently signed with them.
Led by LeBron James, more players are taking control of their careers and Kuzma is the latest one. As the 24-year-old looks to become the team’s third All-Star player, it will be interesting to see what opportunities come his way.
One of the first will likely be a new shoe deal as Kuzma is currently a free agent. After a two-year deal with Nike, he reportedly has received interest from Jordan and Puma.
And with no question marks regarding Kuzma’s future in the second-largest market, brands should be confident in signing and marketing him to the best of their abilities.