SALT LAKE CITY — Utah forward Kyle Kuzma, who recently made himself eligible for the NBA draft, has expounded on his decision.
“It’s just all about looking at the process and looking at the pros and cons of coming back to school or leaving,” he said. “My eyes are open to everything.”
Thus, the 6-foot-9, 221-pound junior from Flint, Michigan, is keeping his options open. He hasn’t signed with an agent, leaving the door open for a return to the Utes next season.
“I’m just really testing the waters. I’m just trying to see what I stack up against,” said Kuzma, who is eager to see where he stands in relation to players looking forward to the draft. “If I do well, then that will be good. But if not, I’ll come back to school and have a senior year.”
Kuzma, a first-team All-Pac-12 honoree this past season, is hopeful to net an invitation to the upcoming NBA draft combine (May 9-14 in Chicago). Then there's a 10-day period when he can work out for multiple teams.
After that, on May 24, Kuzma must decide whether or not to keep his name in consideration for the draft on June 22.
“The combine is definitely a goal,” he said. “It’s an important piece to the process.”
By his own research, Kuzma noted that only two players taken in last year’s NBA draft did not receive invitations to the combine. Kuzma also knows that combine participation isn’t necessarily a guarantee of anything. He could still go through the entire process and be told he’s a late second-round pick.
Initial feedback from the NBA isn’t expected until the NCAA’s Final Four is complete.
In the meantime, Kuzma said he’ll put his head down and work for his opportunities to play in the NBA or have a monster senior year.
Kuzma appreciates the rules that allow him to test the waters — letting him pursue his dream while keeping his collegiate eligibility.
Ultimately, Kuzma acknowledged he’ll do what’s best for him. That applies to life in general.
Kuzma, who averaged 16.4 points and 9.3 rebounds as a junior, is finishing up work on a sociology degree.
That could add another variable to the mix. Kuzma could conceivably transfer to another college program as a graduate student and immediately be eligible to play.
However, such a scenario isn’t in Kuzma’s thoughts.
“No. I’m a Ute,” he said. “I would never transfer.”
Kuzma added that he’s a very loyal person and not one to do that. He thinks such a move would be pointless.
The risk of injury is also not a variable in his decision-making process. Kuzma has avoided serious injuries throughout his career. However, he did suffer a lingering ankle injury this past season.
“You play basketball because you love it and whatever happens, happens. You just deal with it because you love playing basketball. If you get hurt, it comes with it,” Kuzma said. “I could get hurt driving a car. I could get hurt walking down some steps. So you can get hurt anyway possible. So I wouldn’t say it’s a factor for me.”
Among current mock drafts, Kuzma is predicted to go 31st overall to the Atlanta Hawks by nbadraft.net and 53rd to the Boston Celtics by draftexpress.com. A consensus forecast on nbadraft.net has the Indiana Pacers taking him with the 43rd pick.
If Kuzma decides to return, the Utes went 20-12 last season and lose only one senior — Lorenzo Bonam — to graduation.
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