Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma accomplished an impressive feat on Saturday. Kuzma is the fifth player from the 2017 NBA draft to make at least 900 career three-point field goals.
Kuzma joins Donovan Mitchell, Jayson Tatum, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Lauri Markkanen as players who have accomplished that mark.
Washington Wizards Player Accomplishes Impressive Feat
No. 900 for @kylekuzma.
https://t.co/qRhEgqbqKD pic.twitter.com/UrpbckghnZ
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 27, 2024
Kuzma played college basketball at Utah (2014-17) and was drafted 27th overall in the 2017 draft. He played four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers (2017-21), which included a championship in 2020. Kuzma was traded to the Wizards in 2021 and was the third-best scorer (17.1 PPG). The former Laker currently averages 22.0 points (leading team), 6.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while playing 31.4 minutes per game.
So far this season, Kuzma is shooting 33.3% from three-point range, which isn’t exactly efficient. But as the Wizard’s primary scorer and player who takes the most shot attempts (846 at the time of writing), he carries the bulk of the load offensively.
Wizards Snap Six Game Losing Streak; Brian Keefe Gets First Win as Head Coach
The Wizards (8-37) and Kuzma are fresh off a victory against the Detroit Pistons (5-40) 118-104 on Saturday. Due to the victory, Washington officially snapped their six-game losing streak.
Kuzma tallied 30 points, six rebounds, and four assists while shooting 13/27 (48.1%) in the victory over the reeling Pistons. Alongside Kuzma in the starting lineup included Deni Avdija (10 points), Jordan Poole (17 points), Tyus Jones (12 points), and Daniel Gafford (15 points and 13 rebounds).
Washington scored 21 points off of 17 Detroit turnovers. More importantly, however, Washington held the Pistons to only 41 second-half points. Defense has been a prominent weak point for the Wizards this season, but with new interim head coach Brian Keefe at the helm, things might improve on that front.
Keefe was named interim head coach after the firing of Wes Unseld Jr. As a result of the win, Keefe officially earned his first win as a head coach. Keefe spent nearly twenty years as an assistant in the NBA with many teams before joining the Wizards.
Wizards center Marvin Bagley III contributed 13 points and eight rebounds in 19 minutes of playing time. In five games with Washington, Bagley averages 17.2 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks in what seems like a career resurgence. Bagley is a former No. 2 overall pick but hasn’t lived up to his draft status. Since joining the Wizards, Bagley has played energetic and aggressive, which could land him in the starting lineup soon.
Saturday’s victory should be viewed fondly due to the defensive display in the second half and Keefe’s direction for the team going forward. Washington will visit Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.
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