A Look at Kyle Kuzma’s Ethnicity and Parents

Kyle Kuzma is an American professional basketball player with mixed ethnic makeup. He was born to an African-American father and a White mother with German, English, and Ukrainian ancestry. While his biological father’s name is unknown, his mother is Karri Kuzma. She raised him with his stepfather, Larry Smith.

Kyle Kuzma’s Ethnic History and Background

Kyle Kuzma was born on the 24th of July 1995 and given the full name Kyle Alexander Kuzma. He has made the news for a variety of reasons, mostly for his performances since he joined the NBA. But his name has also raised eyebrows among observers.

As Kuzma, the Los Angeles Lakers power forward, does not have a traditional Caucasian name, prompting questions about his ethnicity. From a cursory look at him, one thing is apparent – He is biracial. An in-depth look further reveals that his biological father is African-American.

The Caucasian side of him comes from his mother, whose ancestry is traceable to European countries, Germany, England, and Ukraine. The exact ethnic history of his paternal side, like his father, remains elusive.

Kyle Kuzma Biological Father is Out of the Picture

Kyle Kuzman
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Unlike some of his teammates, Kyle Kuzma did not have the most wholesome start to his family life. His mother, Karri Kuzma, got pregnant with him in college and remained the only biological parent in his life to date. According to him, he has only met his biological father once.

She did not, however, raise the Laker’s power forward alone. Karri met Larry Smith, a father of two, who became a father figure in the Kuzma household. Together, they raised Kyle Kuzma in Flint, Michigan. As the only father figure in his life, Larry had a lot of first with Kyle, including being the first person he played basketball with.

Karri Kuzma’s relationship with Larry Smith also meant Kyle gained two siblings, a half-brother, and half-sister. Both younger than him, Andre, the brother, is a student at Grand Blanc High School in Michigan. According to him, despite the age difference, the two have a cordial and strong familial relationship.

As for his half-sister, she is Briana, who works at Bishop International Airport as a baggage handler. We don’t know much about her education history, but like Karri and the rest of the family, she is a huge supporter of her brother.

His Mother Used to Play Shotput

All Karri Kuzma might be known for today is her status as Kyle’s mom, but before then, she was a shotput champion. She was a two-time Class B shotput champion at Otisville Lakeville High School. Her performance in high school earned her a track scholarship at Hillsdale College. Her college career ended after she got pregnant with the Lakers star.

Another noteworthy fact about Kyle Kuzma’s family is he and his mother used to move around a lot. The duo relocated several times for different reasons, one being to avoid an obsessed ex-boyfriend. They also relocated after an eviction.

In appreciation of his mother’s sacrifices and his desire to see her do well, Kyle bought a house for his mother after joining the NBA.

A Toy Basketball Rim Sparked Kyle’s Basketball Journey

Kyle had his love for basketball ignited when he was young. His parents bought a toy basketball rim for him when he was a toddler. This seemingly innocent act of love sparked a lifelong interest in basketball for the young power forward.

Basketball became his haven from the rough streets of Flint, and it would be a huge part of his formative years. Kyle went to school at Swartz Creek Community School from where he moved to Bentley High School. In high school, he managed to average 17.9 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.4 blocks per game while he was still a junior.

As a student at Bentley, Kyle Kuzma sent shooting tapes to preparatory schools. The head coach of Rise Academy, Vin Sparacio, liked what he saw and brought the young player in. While Kyle was a high school student at Rise Academy, he raised his average to 22 points and seven rebounds for each game. He then got offers to play with Division I schools which included Tennessee, Iowa State, and Connecticut. He finally picked the University of Utah to attend.

Kyle was averaging 10.8 points per game. As a junior, he brought his average up to 16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. He earned his first-team All-Pac-12 honors. At the close of the season, Kyle Kuzma made up his mind to get into the 2017 NBA draft.

Obianuju O
Obianuju O
With over several years of professional writing experience, I consider myself an expert storyteller with a passion for connecting with audiences through the power of words. I specialize in creating engaging content for biographies, entertainment websites and other forms of visual media.

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