After an ugly playoff showing, Kyle Kuzma and his trainer, Clint Parks, knew they had to get in the gym this summer. Rather than focusing on jump shots, flashy ball-handling, or show-stopping dunks, the pair dedicated the offseason to mastering the basics, sharpening Kuzma's game to make him the best fit for this particular Milwaukee Bucks team.
Joining the latest episode of the Hear District Podcast, Parks went in-depth on what he and his client worked on over the past few months.
"The three things I talked about with him all summer: fundamentals, discipline, and accountability. I thought he did a great job. He owned that. Didn't make no excuses... Bring that energy every single game. Be a force defensively. Be somebody that can guard one through four. No easy catches. Keep the ball in front of you...
You've got to go get those scrappy buckets. You've got to go create a rhythm for yourself. You've got to punish teams in that way when you're playing with a guy like Giannis, not settling for jumpers."
Bucks are hoping they get a brand-new Kuzma this season
Clint Parks wasn't alone in his line of thinking, as Doc Rivers said something of a similar vein recently.
"Kuz's key is just his shot profile, getting that to where it should be. In Washington, he could take literally any shot. In those five years in Washington, he took a ton of mid-range shots, and that's just not what we want, and so he got the message. I mean, he took threes and layups today, and it was great."
Parks, Rivers, Bucks fans, and anyone else who watched Kuzma last season knew he had to change how he played the game. After spending several years in Washington as a player who had the green light to shoot whatever shot he wanted, it was difficult for Kuzma to shake that mentality upon coming to Milwaukee. They needed him to be a role player, not a star. It never came to fruition.
Through three preseason games, Kuzma hasn't been perfect. He's still relying on jump shots and other odd shots that aren't in his arsenal. Contributing to his 38.1 field goal percentage during the preseason is him shooting 2-of-8 (25 percent) on jump shots and 0-of-2 on hook shots. The good news is that his only two jump shot makes are threes. He must lessen the ugly 2-point tries.
His shot selection wasn't perfect, but Kuzma displayed growth with his shots during Milwaukee's win over the Bulls in a recent preseason game. He finished with 19 points, five rebounds, and an assist, hitting seven of his 15 shots. A good chunk of that scoring came as he wisely attacked the hoop, making good on five of his seven layup attempts. That's the Kuzma Milwaukee needs.
All but confirmed to come off the bench this coming season, Kuzma will be in a different role than he is used to. However, it could be the best thing for him. When he won the title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Kuzma came off the bench and was more of a complementary piece than a go-to star. If he can regain that mindset in Milwaukee, it will only help fuel his redemption arc.
At the end of the day, Kuzma bouncing back is far from guaranteed. However, he's certainly in a much better position than he was a few months ago after getting benched in the NBA Playoffs. With the coaching staff, his trainer, and the players around him all having his back and trying to get him to play his best role, it's clear that they believe in him. Now, it's time to prove them right.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.