MANILA, Philippines — With new faces on the team, the Washington Wizards are on the right track, star Kyle Kuzma said, after a dismal year last season.
At a press conference Monday morning at Dusit Thani in Makati, Kuzma, 29, said that with the addition of second overall pick Alex Sarr and 24th overall pick Kyshawn George, along with the team’s other young guns, he believes the team is headed in the right direction.
In addition to the youth, the team also acquired veterans Jonas Valanciunas and Malcolm Brogdon during the offseason.
“I really think we look like a modern NBA team now. You know, after being with the Wizards for four years, you know, I really like the direction we’re in right now,” he told reporters.
“I like everyone in our team, I think we have guys with a lot of character. Let’s talk about Sarr, let’s talk about Bilal [Coulibaly,] talk about [Jordan Poole]“These guys love basketball. That’s what excites me the most, is being around people who are really passionate about the game, but also about themselves and how they want to be perceived in the basketball world,” he added.
“And I think that’s super, super important.”
Despite Kuzma’s excellent season last season, averaging 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 46.3 percent shooting, the Wizards finished 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 15-67 record.
As the forward enters his eighth NBA season, he stressed that he also wants to make his teammates better.
“I think I had two career years in a row. But I want to help somebody else have a career year, kind of help somebody else improve and get better. And I think that’s the true sign of greatness in a player and you bring other people along with you,” he said.
And with the kind of talent the team has, a playoff spot might not be too far away in the near future.
“That’s the goal. As long as we keep building, we integrate as a team and we do it cohesively. I think anything can happen,” he said.
“When you look at the NBA over the last couple of years, there’s always a new champion like you and there’s always a team or two teams that are better than you think. Why can’t it be us?”
