mobile app bar

“LeBron James went against his word and left Kyle Kuzma on the ground”: Lakers MVP ridiculed for not helping Kuzma get back to his feet in loss to Russell Westbrook’s Wizards

Samir Mehdi
Published

“LeBron James went against his word and left Kyle Kuzma on the ground”: Lakers MVP ridiculed for not helping Kuzma get back to his feet in loss to Russell Westbrook's Wizards

LeBron James ignores a fallen Kyle Kuzma and doesn’t help him get back up on his feet in the Lakers’ loss to the Washington Wizards. 

The Los Angeles Lakers have undergone some massive roster shake-ups in the 3 season LeBron James has been there. When James made his way to Tinseltown, the Lakers were still very much all in for the youth movement. Guys like Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Kyle Kuzma’s development into stars in this league was seen a major priority for the Lakers management. 

The then 15-year veteran LeBron James tried to integrate himself into the Lakers’ young core and mentor them all while trying to drag the Lakers to a Playoff berth. A moment that stuck with fans at the moment and still gets talked about is the time when James was mic’d up in a game against the Blazers. 

Also Read: “This load management narrative needs to stop”: LeBron James guarantees that he will turn out for the Lakers in the foreseeable future, sees rest as a secondary concern

He gathered his teammates around and said to them, “Anytime y’all fall, stay down. Your brother come pick you up.” Safe to say that the ‘King’ hasn’t stuck to his word as of late. 

LeBron James leaves Kyle Kuzma hanging and doesn’t help him get back up

Ever since LeBron James made that statement, eagle-eyed viewers have been waiting for the 4x champ to slip up and ignore any of his fallen teammates.  The vigilance on these viewers’ part paid off as they noticed LeBron ignoring a fallen Kyle Kuzma in the Lakers loss to the Washington Wizards last night. 

Kyle Kuzma tried to get off a contested shot against Russell Westbrook in the corner but took a tumble to the ground in the process. Without hesitating, James simply went back on defense without trying to help his teammate back up.

Fans online started to call the Finals MVP out on his hypocrisy and poked fun at his nonchalance towards Kuzma on the floor. 

Also Read: “Winning feels different”: Bradley Beal pithily describes his feelings after beating LeBron James and the Lakers at the Staples Center

This isn’t the first time LeBron has ignored a fallen teammate as he’s given the cold shoulder to Kyle Kuzma once before as well. A moment that has gone down in infamy, Kuz tried to get off a fancy pass to Bron in the paint in Game 2 of the 2020 NBA Finals but lost control of it, throwing it out of bounds. 

Kuzma took a hard fall to the ground and though James was right next to him, he could not care less and focused on the next play ahead. As far as fans are concerned, James is now 0-2 in helping Kyle Kuzma get back up after letting him know that he’ll be there to pick him up.

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

instagram-icon

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

Read more from Samir Mehdi

Share this article