Kuzma To Compete With McCollum, Beal, Kemba For USA Team FIBA Roster Spot

Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma now has a chance to represent the USA in the upcoming FIBA World Cup in China, but reports claimed that he has to outshine his peers CJ McCollum, Bradley Beal, Kemba Walker and Donovan Mitchell first.

A new path to stardom seems to open up for Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the 23-year-old forward will join the national team’s training camp in August for a possible spot in the FIBA roster.

Over a week ago, Kuzma was spotted training with renowned NBA shooting coach “Lethal Shooter,” and sources claimed that the Lakers rising star was working on his shooting due to the decrease in his three-point field goal efficiency last season, Clutch Points reported. However, the training could also be for something as big as FIBA.

According to league sources, Kuzma is indeed being viewed as a potential piece that could help the national team, but there is also an array of NBA rising stars who could take a spot in the roster.

Among the names mentioned were CJ McCollum, Bradley Beal, Kemba Walker and Donovan Mitchell. They are considered as Kuzma’s toughest competition for the roster spot, SB Nation noted.

It could be good for Kuzma to break down the competition and have a quick look at what the other prospects have to offer. First off is McCollum who has been the second go-to guy of the Portland Trail Blazers and has displayed impressive basketball skills last season. With a good perimeter and three-point shooting, McCollum is a good fit for a role in the national team.

Next up is Beal, who like McCollum, has been around Washington Wizards superstar John Wall for several seasons as a secondary weapon. Although Beal plays a supporting role in the Wizards, one thing seems to separate him from Kuzma, an All-Star.

Among all these names, Walker would be least considered as a competitor of Kuzma. This is because Walker is a natural point guard and what he can bring to the table is a bit less than Kuzma’s. But if the national team will look at overall attributes, Walker’s versatility may cause Kuzma some trouble.

Last is Mitchell whose claim to fame is the Slam Dunk competition. Indeed, he is also a talented scorer, but he has yet to reach his full potential. It will all depend on what the national team recruiters would go for, a fancy scorer like Mitchell or a fearless competitor like Kuzma.