Kyle Kuzma is already thinking beyond basketball, and the veteran forward says venture capital is becoming a serious part of his long-term plans.
Speaking on TBPN, the 30-year-old said he has spent the last several years investing independently but now sees a larger opportunity in building a fund. Kuzma explained that access and relationships created through his NBA career could become a business advantage if paired with knowledge and discipline.
“Over the past couple of years, I’ve been a solo investor getting onto cap tables or hopping into other people’s SPVs. But the money is in having a fund,” Kuzma said on TBPN.
The forward added that athletes often possess access to influential business circles, but the outcome depends on how that access is used.
“I’m in such a unique position because as an athlete, everybody wants to talk to you,” Kuzma said. “You can use that in multiple ways. You can use that to be cool, party, have a good time, and be famous. But you can also use that as leverage to build your own platform if you’re knowledgeable enough to then use that access to get into blue-chip companies that can really change your life.”
Kuzma’s comments come after nearly a decade in the NBA and more than $108 million in career earnings. He is set to make $19.4 million during the 2026-27 season, the final year of the four-year, $90 million contract he signed earlier in his career.
Selected 27th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, Kuzma entered the league as an immediate contributor and averaged 16.1 points and 6.3 rebounds as a rookie. His role changed during the franchise’s 2019-20 championship season, when he shifted into a complementary scoring role on a title-winning roster.
After four seasons in Los Angeles, Kuzma joined the Washington Wizards and produced the most efficient scoring stretch of his career. He averaged a career-high 22.2 points in 2023-24 while adding 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Kuzma split the 2024-25 season between Washington and the Milwaukee Bucks before remaining in Milwaukee for 2025-26. He averaged 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists across 69 games this season while playing 26.2 minutes per night.
