Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma finished fourth in the 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting. The rookie forward received a third place vote en route to three total points from media members.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (481 points) won the award followed, by Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (323), Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (101), and Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. (one) to round out the top five.
Originally the No. 27 pick, Kuzma quickly established himself as one of the two steals in the 2017 NBA Draft along with Mitchell, who was taken No. 13 overall.
After averaging 21.9 points and 6.4 rebounds, Kuzma led the Lakers to the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League championship and received the Most Valuable Player Award following his 30-point performance against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Despite skepticism from media members to begin the 2017-18 NBA season, the 22-year-old continued his strong play and thrived in different roles for head coach Luke Walton.
In 77 games, Kuzma averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds en route to earning All-Rookie First Team honors.
Along with the individual accolades, Kuzma’s approach has been vital as the Lakers are establishing a winning culture.
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