Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma opened up on his desire to play international basketball and represent Team USA at the Olympics. But with a potential USA call-up unlikely for Kuzma, the former NBA Champion told All-Star Magazine that he would consider playing for the Philippines alongside former Lakers teammate Jordan Clarkson .
“I mean, if I didn’t play for Team USA, I mean, I could rock out with JC. That would be cool.”
“You know, my number one goal is to play with Team USA for sure in the Olympics, 100% in four years.... But, yeah, I think it’s really cool that other players are going other places to play because it’s very, very tough to play for Team USA.”
Kuzma would be a huge asset to the Philippine national team but unfortunately, there's no way to accommodate both players on the team. Clarkson has Filipino heritage but qualifies as a naturalized player for the national team given his American citizenship.
FIBA rules only allow for one naturalized player to participate on a team's roster, which would make it virtually impossible for Kuzma and Clarkson to be teammates on the national team together.
There are many other countries that would be willing to undertake the naturalization process to get Kuzma to represent them internationally, but it doesn't look like Kuzma would be willing to give up his summers for a random country instead of the USA. Even discussing the Philippines might just be Kuzma talking instead of actively committing, though it won't be possible under FIBA rules.
Kyle Kuzma And Jordan Clarkson Are Major Trade Candidates This Season
Both Kuzma and Clarkson are expected to raise a lot of buzz in the trade market this season as solid veteran players on losing franchises. Clarkson is a former Sixth Man of the Year who's missed the Playoffs for the last two seasons while Kuzma hasn't made the Playoffs since 2021, his final season with the Lakers. They're both positive players who could be valuable to contending teams and will likely generate a lot of interest.
Clarkson averaged 17.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists last season, with the ability to score in bunches. He's improved his passing skills over the last few seasons, which could be a tremendous asset in a bench-scoring guard for a contending roster that needs an offensive injection.
Kuzma is a more complete player, averaging 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists last season. He's a legitimate defensive presence when making a conscious effort on that end and has developed his scoring ability by heaps in recent seasons. Jordan Poole proved last season that it isn't being a productive scorer on the Wizards given the lack of competent teammates, but Kuzma has found a way to be successful.
The Jazz might be keen on keeping Clarkson around as a team veteran, with the guard well-liked and respected within the organization.
The Wizards tried trading Kuzma to the Mavericks in the winter, but they also respect Kuzma enough to give him the choice of going to a winning team or staying with Washington. Kuzma chose the latter and declined a trade to the eventual NBA Finalists , so even acquiring him could be unlikely for teams around the NBA, unless it's an offer that can't be refused.
Related: Sacramento Kings Land Kyle Kuzma In High-Risk Mock Trade With The Washington Wizards
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