Kuzma Pays Tribute To Utah With Enormous Back Tattoo
Aug 23, 2021, 11:33 AM

University of Utah forward Kyle Kuzma (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – As Kyle Kuzma prepares to begin the 2021-22 NBA season, the former University of Utah star paid tribute to the state where he played college basketball with a large back tattoo.
Over the weekend, Herchell Carrasco, a tattoo artist in Orange County posted a photo on Instagram of Kuzma getting a full mountain range tattoo stretching from shoulder to shoulder.
“Every mountain top is within reach if you keep climbing done on my guy @Kuz,” Carrasco wrote.
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Kuzma averaged 16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists during his third and final season at Utah before getting drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 27th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.
The forward is the last player from the University of Utah to hear his name called in the NBA draft.
Though the tattoo isn’t a replica of any of Utah’s many mountain ranges, the piece includes several peaks dissected by a flowing river capturing the state’s natural scenery.
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Kuzma spent the first four seasons of his NBA career with the Lakers after leaving Utah. The forward has career averages of 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
The former Ute won a title with the Lakers in 2020 while averaging 10.0 points and 3.1 rebounds.
Earlier this month, Kuzma was traded by the Lakers to the Wizards Wizards along with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Montrezl Harrell for All-Star guard Russell Westbrook.
Kuzma and his new tattoo will make their debut for the Wizards on October 20 against the Toronto Raptors.