With the calendar having turned to September, the start of a new NBA season is that much closer. Media days and training camps will give way to the preseason, and shortly after tipoff of the 2018-19 campaign.
But in the amateur world, September, and for the some the few days before it, means the start of college football. Such was the case for the University of Utah, as they opened up their season at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
The Utes faced an overmatched Weber State team, resulting in a 41-10 thumping. On top of the usual excitement that comes with kicking off a new season, Kyle Kuzma returned to his old stomping grounds and he was joined by Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.
Kuzma spoke fondly of returning to the university he played three years at, and he also expressed excitement on the season ahead for the Los Angeles Lakers, via the Pac-12 Network:
“It’s going to be really exciting. Not only just LeBron, but we have a brand new team pretty much with other vets as well. It’s going to be a challenge at first but I think it’s going to be tremendous for us. All we have to do is get our chemistry right and hit the ground running.”
Kuzma previously downplayed having any concern over the Lakers needing to develop chemistry because the roster now includes so many new players. He astutely pointed out Los Angeles won’t be the only team that faces such an adjustment.
Kuzma also believes he and the young Lakers are the perfect fit for LeBron James, because of their competitiveness, unselfishness and desire to win. And with that, he believes critics are selling the team short.
The Lakers will begin to put that theory to the test on Sunday, Sept. 30 when they face the Denver Nuggets in their first preseason game.
