Quotes from Kyle Kuzma

People assume that, as an NBA athlete, you can get access to any kind of sneaker you want, when in reality, it's hard to get the exclusive releases or shoes from the past and feel confident they're authentic.

Mom was always worrying about the rent.

Coming from Flint, I was really immature on the court and off the court.

I'm very cautious of how I'm presented and my type of reputation.

I don't go to malls. I've just always been a simple person. I hang out, work out. That's what I think is fun.

Sure, there's a lot of negativity, but basketball is such a huge thing in my community. Flint has a very rich tradition in basketball.

I put a lot of work into my game every single day.

Every day's a challenge. You learn every single day.

I was a young kid, and the YMCA was my second home, where my mom was dropping me off for seven, eight hours. I'd spend the day doing what I love: hoop.

There's not that many tough guys that really talk trash in the NBA.

Once I got to college, I didn't know defensive rotations; my footwork was sloppy. I used to travel every other play.

I'm a mismatch at the four, so a lot of times, I have slower guys on me, and I can exploit that.

As a kid, I always loved sneakers and style.

When I joined the Lakers and moved to L.A., I started getting more serious about collecting sneakers and dressing from the feet up.

I've always kinda guarded perimeter guys. I'm a little bit more comfortable guarding guys off screens. It kinda keeps me engaged in the game, locked in.

It was great to be in the gym with Kobe. He's so particular about the game and... why and how things work. That's one thing I kind of love about him. If you ask him something, he's going to tell you A, B, C, and D, and how that affects each play.

I was excited about going to the Lakers because they are probably the biggest brand in basketball.

Any time you have any type of record in any record book, especially with the Lakers, it is pretty special.

I've got the same mentality every time I step on the floor - play my hardest and just be locked in.

A lot of people think it takes millions of dollars to give back or inspire, but just you showing up means a lot.

I always tried to be an all-around player. In college, I felt like I needed to add to my game to get to another level, to get to the NBA. The NBA has really turned to positionless basketball, so it was very important to me to have an all-around game so I could stand out in front of other guys.

My friends, they all say that I'm turning Hollywood. Big-time. And I want to be that. I want to be a guy who's bigger than what they say. You look at Kobe. Michael Jordan. Somebody like Michael Jackson. Those guys are bigger than life. I strive to be that.

I never really had role models or guys in the NBA to show me the ropes or be a friend, mentor to me like that.

Can't blame the coaching staff for everything. It's mutual, of course. Players mess up, coaches mess up.