For aspiring basketball players who may not have the height of an NBA superstar, champion cager Kyle Kuzma has a message: size matters, but it isn’t everything.
Kyle Kuzma knows height makes a difference in basketball.
But the Milwaukee Bucks forward believes it is not the only factor in making it to the NBA.
“In the game of basketball, you look at… there are a lot of point guards that are like 6-foot-7. It’s hard, you know. But that does not mean you can’t make it. At the end of the day, like, anybody really can make it,” Kuzma said during a meet-and-greet session for his "KuzManila" II tour.
The 29-year-old forward, who won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, admitted that being undersized is a disadvantage in a league where size and length dominate.
Still, he emphasized that work ethic, preparation and luck are just as important.
“You just have to work, you have to have a lot of luck. A lot of luck is an important part of being successful, you know. When you have luck, be prepared for that,” the 30-year-old forward bared.
He added: “It's very, very important to meet that opportunity. And, yeah, you know, if you make it to the NBA, you're a part of that, which is 1% of the top players in the world. It's so hard to do it, regardless if you're tall, short.”
Case in point, point guard Yuki Kawamura. Standing at 5-foot-8, the star playmaker for the Japanese national basketball team has found playing time in the NBA, particularly with the Memphis Grizzlies and next, the Chicago Bulls.
While Jordan Clarkson, Jalen Green and, most recently, Dylan Harper have repped their Filipino heritage with pride, the milestone of having a full-blooded Filipino reach the league remains an elusive dream.
[ALSO READ: LIST: Jordan Clarkson, Jalen Green, Dylan Harper, other NBA players with Filipino heritage]
Japeth Aguilar, Kiefer Ravena and Ray Parks Jr. have all taken their chances, but none secured a roster spot. Kai Sotto's stint with the Orlando Magic in the Summer League was cut short due to back issues.
Recently, Gilas wingman Kevin Quiambao traveled to the United States to pursue his NBA dream but failed to land on the Sacramento Kings’ Summer League roster.
[ALSO READ: Sacramento coach Jimmy Alapag clears air on Kevin Quiambao’s NBA workout]
Kuzma’s latest comments somehow give encouragement to the belief of Kings player development coach and PBA legend Jimmy Alapag, who said it is only a matter of time before a full-blooded Filipino breaks through.
“When you look at the talent back home in the PBA, the Gilas players and even the young Filipinos playing abroad, there’s so much talent,” Alapag spoke.
“And honestly, I do think we’re close. But at the same time, when you get to Year 3 in the NBA, these are the best players in the world — and they’re the best in the world for a reason,” he added.
[ASO READ: Jimmy Alapag lays out what it takes for a Filipino to make it to the NBA]
For now, Filipino fans continue to wait, hoping that the next name called on draft night or the next player to sign an NBA contract will carry their flag in a way no one has before.
(With reports from Vlon Bandivas/ One Sports Digital)