Very rarely do NBA-caliber prospects spend three or four years in college anymore.
After president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka acquired two late first-round picks, the Los Angeles Lakers used them to select two players that spent multiple years at their respective schools: Kyle Kuzma from the University of Utah and Josh Hart from Villanova University.
While both players did not possess an immediate ability to appeal to pro scouts early in their careers, they developed a maturity to potentially make an impact immediately on a rebuilding club at the next level. Although their ceilings may be slightly lower than those selected before them, it seems as though they will receive plenty of playing time in their rookie campaigns.
In a recent interview on NBA TV, Pelinka revealed his expectations for Kuzma, who earned All-Summer League Second Team honors after he won the MVP of the championship game.
“I think Kyle Kuzma becomes a posterchild, in a sense of just representing that game of a player that can do everything and is positionless […] He just had a spirit in his step, just an aggressiveness and a chip on his shoulder. He plays in attack mode at all times, I think we saw that in Summer League so we’re really, really excited about him,” the Lakers GM said.
At 6’9” and 190 pounds, Kuzma left Utah after his junior season in which he averaged 16.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game while shooting 50.4 percent from the field over 30.8 minutes. Due to his versatility to play the two, three, four or even five on both ends of the court, he will be an intriguing rookie to watch alongside Lonzo Ball, who he developed a chemistry with over the short summer season.
Due to an ankle injury, Hart played just two games in the Summer League, but that doesn’t mean Pelinka doesn’t have high expectations for the former collegiate national champion.
“He may not be the most athletic player in the gym or the quickest, but he finds ways to make winning plays. He did that at Villanova for a national championship. [Villanova head coach] Jay Wright, he developed a mentality in him. Like I said this is a young, scrappy, and hungry young core that we are just really, really excited about,” Pelinka explained.
Hart, at 6’5” and 215 pounds, graduated from Nova as one of the most respected players in the nation. Putting up 18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 33.1 minutes per game, Hart won the Big East Player of the Year award in his senior year in addition to being named one of four finalists for the Naismith Player of the Year award.
Based on his size and the fact that he's not regarded as a point guard, Hart projects to add grittiness at the shooting guard position in addition to bringing a championship-quality attitude to the roster.
While all the focus will be on Ball, both Kuzma and Hart will have an opportunity to prove themselves immediately in Los Angeles.