WASHINGTON — The Washington Wizards honor fashionable forward Kyle Kuzma with a bobblehead for Friday night's game against New York Knicks. The first 10,000 players through the gate at Capital One Arena will snag a bobblehead featuring Kuz in his iconic oversized pink sweater that turned heads during a game in November of 2021.
The bold fashion choice got plenty of attention on Twitter and Instagram, including from former teammate LeBron James, "“Ain’t no f------ way you wore that!!! I ain’t pressing the like button cause this is outrageous Kuz," James said at the time.
Kuzma told WUSA9's Darren Haynes the sweater changed his life.
"The pink sweater made me who I am," Kuzma said. "The entire globe probably saw this. If you have internet you probably saw this. It's a conversation piece. Every time I'm walking in, you know I'm in the building."
Kuzma has become an integral of the Wizards offense since the sweater made an appearance.
In Wednesday's game, Kuzma broke a tie with a 3-pointer with 5.7 seconds left and Washington beat the Chicago Bulls 100-97.
Following a timeout, Kuzma drove to his right and hit a leaning shot as he floated toward the Wizards’ bench.
“I was trying to give myself the best chance to make a play,” Kuzma said. "I caught the ball, I looked left, a lot of teams are forcing me left. I just had Delon (Wright) get flat a little bit. I knew I had (Alex) Caruso on me and he’s one of the better defenders in the league. Give myself a chance to pick either way instead of being directed in one. ... Rose up and shot it and it went in.”
Said Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr.: “I didn’t expect him to make that (particular shot), but that was the play. If you’re a competitor, everyone dreams of that moment.”
Tip-off for Friday's game is 7 p.m. Following the game, fans can enjoy the second concert in the Wizards' Friday Night Concert Series when local go-go artist DCVybe featuring Kim, Northeast Groovers, Scooby and Sugar Bear perform.
Tickets are available here.