CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the Locked On Cavs podcast in the video player above is from Nov. 9, 2021.
Even after hitting the game-winning 3-point shot in the Washington Wizards' 97-94 victory on Wednesday night, Kyle Kuzma wasn't finished playing the role of villain for Cleveland Cavaliers fans.
Speaking to reporters after the game, Kuzma discussed his game-winner, which gave the Wizards a 95-94 lead with 11.4 seconds remaining. In doing so, the fifth-year forward revealed that the shot had some extra meaning to him, as he had been carrying on a conversation with some fans in the crowd throughout the game.
"I was just ready, I was ready for it," Kuzma told reporters of his game-winning shot. "And plus there [were] some hecklers during the game talking to me. So I had to -- it was their fault, really."
What was said?
"They had a sign that said LeBron [James] won Kuzma his ring," said Kuzma, who played with James as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers during their run to the NBA title in 2020. "I said, 'Without LeBron, Cleveland wouldn't be s--t. So they chose violence and I just kept going. Thank you guys, I appreciate it."
The 26-year-old Kuzma later clarified there was no actual violence, rather the fans were "just talking too much."
You can see Kuzma's full comments in the video player below, beginning at the 13:07 mark.
With the win, the Wizards moved to 8-3 on the season, while the Cavs dropped to 7-5. For those wondering, the next time Kuzma and Washington are scheduled to play in Cleveland is on Saturday, February 26.