NBA News: Kyle Kuzma Opens Up About Being Loved In Washington

It didn’t take long for Kyle Kuzma to find his place in his new team.

Some Los Angeles Lakers fans were saddened when Kuzma left the “Purple and Gold” for the Washington Wizards this past offseason.

Atop that, some even assume that Kuzma will no longer have the chance to win another championship and will eventually lose his star quality in Washington.

However, it appears that neither of the aforementioned speculations true.

As it stands, the Wizards and the Lakers both have a .500 winning percentage and are also both in the lower seed.

More importantly, Kuzma is also appreciated by the fans in D.C.

"[Washington] D.C. fans have been great to me ever since I got here,” Kuzma told NBC Sports. “It's me coming in just trying to play as hard as possible. I think fans have gravitated to that and I really appreciate it especially coming here. I'm a very polarizing person. You either love me or hate me and I'm just glad that coming here and having the opportunity to have a fresh slate and the fans have really accepted me. I really appreciate it, honestly.”

In his last season with the Lakers, Kuzma only started 32 times in 68 games.

With the Wizards, he has started in all 34 games to date.

What’s more, Kuzma has been a key figure in the team’s offense.

Unlike in Los Angeles, he gets to maximize the liberty of switching up his playing style with the Wizards depending on what the team needs.

"I think I've just flipped my mentality, looking for my shot more but also just getting to the rim and not settling,” he said of his recent aggressiveness on the offensive end. “When guys are back at a full team, I'm kind of more of a spot-up, corner type of player because that's just the dynamics of our team. Just looking for my shot, getting the rebound and going, just putting pressure on the rim at all times is what I'm trying to do.”

Kuzma’s impressive form in Washington did not go unnoticed. In fact, his Wizards co-star and three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal already likes what he sees in him.

"I love his confidence,” Beal said of Kuzma. “I mean, Kuz is confident as-is, but once he's going it takes him to a new level," Beal said. "I don't even think he realizes the type of player he can be. I think he's still growing and there's another level he can tap into."