Kyle Kuzma
Philanthropy
Kyle Kuzma Basketball Camp
Kyle Kuzma hosted kids from his hometown of Flint, Michigan for the first-ever Kyle Kuzma Basketball Camp Wednesday at Powers Catholic High School. While most basketball camps hosted by NBA players charge a sizable fee for entry, and are sometimes exclusive to players that are invited, Kuzma’s camp was free of charge. Since entering the league, Kuzma has made it a point to make everything tied to his brand affordable, from his Kuzmania shirts, which go for $27 a pop as a nod to Kuzma being the No. 27 pick in the draft, to this basketball camp. Kuzma practiced what he preached and donated 300 backpacks and school supplies to the kids in attendance at his camp. Jeanna Trotman of NBC 25/Fox 66 in Flint shared videos of Kuzma handing out the bags and gave an inside look at what was inside them.
Kyle Kuzma and Lonzo Ball took part in a charity scrimmage against Orthodox Jewish philanthropists Shlomo Yehuda and Yisroel Rechnitz during the ‘Hoops for Hope’ basketball tournament benefitting Ateres Avigail.
Kuzma threw a party for the kids that are part of the ”Safe Places Program,” where he gave away backpacks and headphones, among other things. He also made a sizable equipment donation to the YCMA to cover any needs the facility had.
Following his breakout rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kyle Kuzma has used his new platform to promote things bigger than basketball, specifically with children in his hometown of Flint, Michigan and his new home, Los Angeles. First, on Monday, Kuzma announced the National Basketball Players Association’s (NBPA) partnership with the LA84 Foundation to issue a request for proposal (RFP) to refurbish local basketball courts throughout the Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The “Court Refurbishment Program” is hoping to create “safe and fun spaces” for kids ages 6 through 17 to play basketball. The NBPA Foundation has already committed a total of $150,000 of grant funding to improve courts in the greater Los Angeles area, according to a press release. “I am happy to be a part of this announcement and to let people know about the opportunity to improve their local basketball courts with the help of the NBPA Foundation and the LA84 Foundation,” Kuzma said in the press release.
The YMCA of Greater Flint is more than just a gym. It’s a cornerstone of the community. A safe, welcoming space with assistance programs making it affordable to all. Where children learn water safety, seniors have opportunities to stay active and build relationships, and kids gather after school to learn to read.