The power forward for the Washington Wizards, Kyle Kuzma, is the NBA celebrity who has been in the league since 2017.
The active power forward started his professional career with the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA. The team picked the Michigan-born in the 2017 NBA Draft in the first round.
He is now actively playing for the Washington Wizards, donning his Jersey no. 33.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Today, we will cover some important details about the NBA celebrity—ranging from his personal life to his net worth.
The article will also highlight the recent trending news of Kyle Kuzma.
Without further ado, let’s look at some of the quick facts about Kyle Kuzma.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Kyle Alexander Kuzma |
| Known as | Kyle Kuzma |
| Birth Date | July 24, 1995 |
| Birth Place | Flint Michigan |
| Father | Not Available |
| Mother | Karri Kuzma |
| Siblings | Andre Kuzma (half-brother), Briana Kuzma (half-sister) |
| High School | Bentley (Michigan) & Rise Academy (Pennsylvania) |
| College | Utah |
| Nationality | American |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Age | 28 years old |
| Height | 6’9″ (2.06 m) |
| Weight | 221 lb (100 kg) |
| Body type | Athletic |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Position | Power Forward |
| Current Team | Washington Wizards |
| Draft | 2017 NBA draft (27th pick) |
| Active years | 2017-present |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Spouse | N/A |
| Children | N/A |
| Net Worth | $3 million (Source: Wealthy Gorilla) |
| Social Media | Facebook, Instagram, Twitter |
| Merch | Bobblehead, Basketball Card |
| Last Update | March, 2024 |
Kyle Kuzma Faced Criticism
Kyle Kuzma has been a recent sensation in trending basketball news. He has been criticized heavily for his mock tweet, “Rich Don’t Pay Taxes.”
He retweeted a CNN story that stated, “Elon Musk owes a massive $11 billion in taxes after wrapping up his Tesla stock sales.”
Kuzma mocked the tweet saying, “The rich don’t pay taxes.”
“ThE rIcH DoNt PaY tAxEs” https://t.co/Tovh6Bv2LJ
— kuz (@kylekuzma) December 29, 2021
Elon Musk is now the world’s richest person in recorded history. And it is thus obvious that his tax bill would be something that anyone has never seen before.
Similarly, there is a pinch of truth in Kuzma’s tweet as well, or so the millennials have felt.
For those wondering, I will pay over $11 billion in taxes this year
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 20, 2021
Earlier this month, Elon Musk tweeted that he would be paying $11 billion in taxes.
However, many reacted angrily to this because the tax he would pay does not equal a fair share of the amount he earns.
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Kyle Kuzma: Early Life
Kyle Alexander Kuzma, famously known as Kyle Kuzma, is an American basketball professional who dons the Washington Wizards’ jersey at the NBA.
Born and raised in Michigan, he is the son of Karri Kuzma, his mother, a high-school shotput champion.
Along with his mother and stepfather, Kuzma spent his childhood with two step-siblings.
Kuzma’s mother and stepfather had put a toy basketball rim in the living room for Kuzma. And this ignited Kuzma’s passion and interest in the game when he was just two years old.
Likewise, young Kuzma attended Bentley High School in Michigan. As a junior in high school, Kuzma averaged 17.9 points, 14.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game.
Rise Academy in Philadelphia brought Kuzma after looking at his shooting tapes.
After high school, Kuzma was offered to play with Division I schools like Iowa State and Missouri. However, he decided to be a part of the University of Utah.
College Life
Kuzma played basketball for Utah Utes during his years at college. However, he started his basketball career at Utah only in his sophomore year. He signed late for college and was, thus, redshirted for his freshman year.
During his sophomore year, Kuzma was a starter in the playing lineup for Utah. The player averaged 10.8 points per game this season.
In the 2016-2017 season, he was named the first-team all-conference in the Pac-12 in his junior year at college. He averaged 16.4 points, 2.4 assists, and 9.3 rebounds per game in his junior year.
After giving consistent performances for Utah, he got selected in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft. He became the 27th overall pick in the draft.
Kyle Kuzma graduated with a degree in sociology from the University of Utah.
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Kyle Kuzma: Career
The Brooklyn Nets selected Kuzma in the first round of the NBA draft in 2017. The Los Angeles Lakers conducted a draft-day trade with the Nets to get Kuzma to the Lakers.
Likewise, the 2017-2018 NBA season was a rookie season for Kuzma as a part of the Los Angeles Lakers.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Kuzma started in six of the seven games he played for the Lakers in the NBA Summer League of 2017. During all seven games, he became a consistent performer for the team.
There Kyle averaged 21.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. He was consequently named to the All-Summer League Second Team.
And was also named the Summer League Championship Game MVP after the championship match against the Portland Trail Blazers.
In October and November 2017, Kuzma was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month.
Kuzma became the first-ever rookie in the NBA to compile over 330 points, 120 rebounds, and 30 three-pointers in just his first 20 games.
In the game against Houston on December 20, Kuzma scored a career-high of 38 points. His performance also helped to end the Rockets’ 14-game winning streak.
He achieved a unique feat with the Lakers soon. He scored 25 or more points in three consecutive games, making him the first Lakers rookie since Jerry West in 1961.
Kuzma scored a new career-high against the Pistons in October 2018, scoring 41 points.
The Rise of Kyle Kuzma
Kuzma’s rise began in the NBA when his performances named him to the NBA All-Rookie First Team with the Lakers in 2018.
The Michigan-born scored a match-winning three-pointer in August 2020 to get the Lakers over the line against the Nuggets.
That same year, he won an NBA Championship with the Lakers. Soon after, he was traded to the Wizards.
(Courtesy: Sports Illustrated)
Furthermore, in November 2021, Kuzma scored four 3-pointers in just the fourth quarter against the Cavaliers. Two of them were scored in the final 30 seconds to get the Wizards over the line.
Kyle Kuzma: Personal Life, Wife & Family
Kuzma spent his childhood with his mother and stepfather. Information on his father is not available. His step-father, Larry Smith, was a high school shotput champion.
The NBA star also has two step-siblings, Andre and Briana.
Talking about his personal life, Kyle Kuzma is unmarried as of now. Back in 2020, the NBA point guard used to date the Canadian supermodel, Winnie Harlow.
However, the two lovebirds called it quits after a year and a half of dating. Apparently, they started dating after Kyle slid into Harlow’s DM’s on Instagram back in March of 2020.
Likewise, the new couple was not scared to show their affection in public. Once Harlow even hired a private plane to fly over the Orlando Bubble and send a Happy Birthday message to beloved Kuzma in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
Hence, one can imagine fans’ disappointment once the two broke off. Luckily, Kuzma and Harlow ended the relationship on good terms.
Kyle Kuzma: Net Worth
According to Wealthy Gorilla, Kyle Kuzma’s net worth is estimated to be $3 million.
Kyle’s primary source of income is the salary he gets as an NBA player. Besides this, he also earns through endorsements with multinational companies.
Courtesy of his huge contracts with NBA teams, he has spent heavy amounts for a luxurious life.
Kuzma has a Lamborghini Huracán Performante, one among many of his expensive cars. He also spends a huge amount of money on tattoos.
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Contract
In 2020, Kuzma signed a 3-year extension contract worth $39,000,000 with the Lakers. The mentioned sum was a guaranteed amount. The agreement also ensured an annual average salary of $13,000,000.
Kuzma is estimated to earn a base salary of $13,000,000 for the 2021-2022 season at the Wizards.
Kyle Kuzma: Awards & Achievements
The below mentioned are Kyle Kuzma’s career highlights, awards, and achievements.
- 2020 NBA Champion
- 2019 NBA Rising Stars Challenge MVP
- 2018 NBA All-Rookie First Team
- 2017 First-Team All-Pac-12
Social Media Presence
Twitter: 1.1M Followers
Facebook: 2.1M Followers
Instagram: 4.8M Followers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Was Kyle Kuzma the first pick in the 2017 NBA Draft?
No. Kyle Kuzma was the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The Wizards’ point guard was picked in the first round of the draft.
In how many NBA teams have Kyle Kuzma starred?
Kuzma has starred in two NBA teams, namely the Los Angeles Lakers and Washington Wizards.
What is Kyle Kuzma’s jersey number?
Kuzma’s jersey number for the Washington Wizards is 33.
