Reader Marcus is an avid Lakers fan and very interested in what surprisingly-effective rookie Kyle Kuzma could turn out to be.

By now, you’ve probably heard of this kid, a college junior taken with the 27th pick in the 2017 draft – an afterthought for many to the Lakers’ lottery pick, Lonzo Ball, who was taken at no. 3.

I’ll admit I was too sozzled to care by the time Kuzma’s name came up on draft night morning.

As Kuzma dominated in summer-league, people understandably didn’t think too much about it. However, as the pre-season came along and Kuzma kept putting up solid numbers, people began to wonder whether there was more to him.

14 games into the 2017-18 season, people are wondering a whole lot less: 31.1 mpg, 14.9ppg, 6.8rpg, 50.3 FG%, 58.4 TS% and a 14.7 PER.

In other words, Kuzma’s already playing at the level of an average starter. Not too shabby at all.

While his 0.5 stocks per game (steals plus blocks) probably put a limit on his ceiling and his 32.1% three point shooting still needs a bit of work – there’s a lot to like here.

This article over at ESPN makes for some great reading, including this quote of the day from Lakers scout Bill Bertka – who saw something in Kuzma long before just about anyone else did:

So when Bertka burst into the Lakers’ scouting meetings this spring, raving about some kid from Utah he’d scouted during the Pac-12 Conference tournament, everyone in the room took note.

“He got all wide-eyed,” Lakers director of scouting Jesse Buss recalls. “And he said, ‘If this guy isn’t an NBA player, then I don’t know what the f— I’m looking at.'”

Next under the radar rookie to have on your list – Atlanta’s John Collins.