Kyle Kuzma says moving farewell to Los Angeles on Instagram: “I’m a Laker for Life”

The No. 27 pick in the NBA Draft is a roll of the dice. Often times, that player won’t even stay in the league. When they do, it’s usually as a fairly unspectacular player. But the Los Angeles Lakers found someone special at No. 27 in the 2017 NBA Draft when they selected Kyle Kuzma. Over the past four seasons, they’ve seen him go from an unrecognized rookie to a key member of a championship team.

Now, Kuzma is heading to Washington after being included in a business program for Russell Westbrook. After years of playing a supporting role over a competitor, he will have the chance to prove what he has learned in a younger team who will expect him to play a bigger role. But before the start of his next chapter as a wizard, he wanted to thank the Lakers for four great years. He did so in a long Instagram post on Friday.

“Man oh man where to start ???” Kuzma wrote. “Lakeshow, we took a trip. I was 21 and just a young puppy came here and you opened your arms openly and accepted me into the LA community! Upon entering this league, I told Robby, Jeanie and Magic that all I wanted to do here is help be apart of something special and help be apart of one of those banners (now) 17 banners and damn it we did it! I wouldn’t change a thing about my trip it was all a lesson for me! I learned the game of basketball from some of the best players to ever play on earth while being in LA and now he it’s time for me to go out and really spread my wings and be who I say I am… .LUV LA I’m a laker for life “

The Lakers couldn’t have asked for more from Kuzma over the past four years. He entered the league as a scorer and in his first two seasons, he has shown his skills averaging 17.3 points per game. But when Anthony Davis arrived and the Lakers needed him to adjust, Kuzma gladly did. With Davis and LeBron James leading the offense, Kuzma has become a strong defenseman and a great rebounder. He was proud to do the little things champions need, and he was rewarded with a ring.

This ring will indeed make him a Laker for life. This represents sacrifices that many players never make. Kuzma did what it took to be the player the Lakers needed him to be. Now in Washington, he can not only help pass those lessons to a young team, but take the opportunity to become a top scorer again. As he said, it’s time for him to spread his wings.