NBA
KK
#18

Kyle Kuzma

Forward · Milwaukee Bucks · 6'8", 221 lb · Born Jul 24, 1995 · Flint, Michigan · Drafted 27th overall, 2017
2020 ChampionMilwaukee BucksFashion iconScoring forward
NBAMilwaukee BucksForwards
Compare:vs Greenvs LeVertvs Jr.vs Jr.vs Jakučionisvs Ware
In short

Kyle Kuzma is a veteran scoring forward for the Milwaukee Bucks, a 2020 NBA champion, and one of the league's noted fashion figures. A Flint, Michigan native who starred at Utah, he was drafted 27th in 2017 and won a title with the Lakers before back-to-back 20-point seasons in Washington. Traded to Milwaukee in February 2025, he provides scoring and size alongside the franchise's shifting core.

Matchup model · next gameLow confidenceThu, Nov 12
@Miami HeatDrop coverage
Proj. points
12.9
range 10.2–15.6
Line 13
49%
to go over
Team win
35%
112–115
Poi 12.9 Lean underReb 4.5 Lean underAss 2.7 Lean overPRA 20.1 Lean over
Likely on himDavion Mitchell· 84 Perimeter DStrong defender
10+ pts83%15+ pts24%

Model lines Kuzma at 12.9 pts (range 10.2–15.6) vs a 13 line — roughly a coin flip to clear it (49%).

Biggest edge: scheme fit — drop coverage concedes the pull-up/mid-range he likes.

Full matchup breakdown · all markets →
Balladex Matchup Model — modeled from real roster ratings, scoring baselines & defender-matchup history. Schedule, availability & head-to-head samples are illustrative in this prototype; production wires live schedule, injury & player-tracking feeds. Not betting advice.
✦ Ask anything about Kuzma
The Kuzma Story — narrated
Tap play to hear his story, told as a 90-second short.
🔊 Prototype uses your browser's built-in voice. Production would use a studio-grade AI narrator.

A Flint kid who used basketball as a safe haven — and became a champion, a 20-point scorer, and an NBA style icon.

Raised in Flint by his mother, a former shot-put champion, Kuzma starred at Utah and was drafted 27th in 2017 (Brooklyn, traded to the Lakers).

🏀 Flint · Utah27th, 2017

He won the 2020 title with the Lakers, then became a 20-point scorer in Washington.

🏆 2020 champion20+ ppg · Washington

A four-team trade sent him to Milwaukee in February 2025 (with Khris Middleton going to Washington).

Traded to MIL, 2025Middleton the other way

In 2025-26 he provided scoring and size — 13.0 a game — amid the franchise's Giannis-driven reshaping.

13.0 / 4.5New MIL core
— end of story —
Want the full numbers? Open the breakdown →
PPG
13
2025-26
RPG
4.5
per game
APG
2.7
per game
FG%
.492
.347 from three
LIFE

Roots & the rise

A Flint-forged scoring forward, 2020 champion, and NBA style icon — Milwaukee's veteran scorer.

Kyle Alexander Kuzma was born in Flint, Michigan and raised by his mother, Karri, a former shot-put champion, in a city he has called 'a really violent place' where basketball was his 'safe haven.' He starred at Utah, was drafted 27th overall in 2017 (by Brooklyn, traded to the Lakers on draft night), and won the 2020 NBA title in Los Angeles.

He grew into a 20-point scorer over three-plus seasons in Washington, then was traded to Milwaukee in a four-team deal in February 2025 (Milwaukee sending Khris Middleton to Washington). In 2025-26 he provided scoring and size — 13.0 points a game — amid a franchise reshaping around the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.

Sources: Wikipedia, NBA.com, Basketball-Reference.

BEYOND THE GAME

Beyond the game

Kuzma is one of the NBA's most recognizable style figures, known for bold pregame 'tunnel' fashion and a genuine business portfolio: a Puma signature deal, co-founding the beverage brand Drink Barcode, and a 2026 ownership stake in an E1 powerboat racing team. He's engaged to Canadian model Winnie Harlow.

His backstory grounds the glamour. Raised in Flint by a single mother, with a father he says he met once as an infant, Kuzma leaned on basketball as an escape from a hard environment. That climb — from Flint to a Utah standout to a 2020 champion and a 20-point scorer — is the throughline beneath the fashion-icon persona.

PERSONALITY

The person

A confident, high-volume scoring forward and style icon — Flint-forged, championship-tested.

Scoring forwardA three-level scorer who has posted 20-point seasons; size at 6-foot-8.
ChampionWon the 2020 NBA title with the Lakers.
Fashion iconOne of the league's most recognizable style and business figures.
PLAYER DNA

Archetype & ratings

Archetype
Scoring Forward · Shot Maker
Temperament
Alpha
Leadership
60/100
Scoring74
Playmaking52
Rebounding58
Perimeter D54
Rim protection30
Spacing62
Athleticism74
Clutch60
Volume scorerPositional sizeShot-making
ANALYSIS

What the numbers say

Veteran scoring and size

Kuzma's value is clear-cut: a 6-foot-8 forward who can create and score in bunches, with the size to play multiple frontcourt spots. His efficiency and role fluctuate with the roster around him, but on a Milwaukee team remaking itself after the Giannis trade, his veteran scoring and championship experience are steadying assets for a new core.

STATS

Season by season

Per game

SeasonGPMINPTSREBASTFG%3P%
2025-266926.213.04.52.7.492.347

Source: Basketball-Reference.

ADVANCED

Advanced & historical

Where he sits in history

2020NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers
2019All-Rookie First Team; Rising Stars Challenge MVP
2025Traded to Milwaukee in a four-team deal (Khris Middleton to Washington)

Hardware

1×
NBA Champion (2020)
1×
All-Rookie First Team (2018)
OUTLOOK

Where it's headed

AI-generated · updated July 12, 2026

A veteran scoring forward and champion — steadying size for Milwaukee's reshaped core.

Kuzma gives the post-Giannis Bucks a proven scorer with size and championship experience. His role and efficiency depend on the roster's direction, but his shot-making is a useful veteran asset for a team in transition.

ScoringSolid
Size / versatilityGood
DefenseAverage
Veteran valueChampion

Contract

Team
Milwaukee since 2025
Ring
2020 champion
Age
30 veteran
Bottom line

A Flint-forged champion, style icon, and veteran scorer. On a reshaped Milwaukee team, his shot-making and size give the new core a steady veteran presence.

FAQ

Quick answers

Did Kyle Kuzma win a championship?

Yes — the 2020 NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers.

How did Kyle Kuzma join the Bucks?

In a four-team trade in February 2025, in which Milwaukee sent Khris Middleton to Washington.

What is Kyle Kuzma known for off the court?

He's one of the NBA's most recognizable fashion figures, with a Puma deal, the Drink Barcode brand, and a powerboat-racing ownership stake.