Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is shaping Kyle Kuzma’s role ahead of the 2025–26 season. Rivers emphasized the importance of shot selection during a recent practice session.
“He had a great practice, made a bunch of threes, but he got downhill probably five times today, where four of them, they just had to foul him and one, he threw it out for three and that’s what we want him to do,” Rivers said, according to Eric Nehm.
Rivers stressed that Kuzma’s midrange shots are not part of the team’s plan. “In Washington, he could literally take any shot. In those five years in Washington, he took a ton of midrange shots and that’s just not what we want and so he got the message,” he added.
Kuzma joined the Bucks via a multi-team trade on February 6. Last season, Kuzma averaged 14.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game in 33 games with Milwaukee, shooting 45.5% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range.
Rivers envisions Kuzma primarily at the 3/4 position in the Bucks’ rotation. The coach believes emphasizing three-pointers and attacking the basket will maximize Kuzma’s efficiency while complementing Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks’ frontcourt.
The Bucks enter the 2025–26 season without key veterans Khris Middleton, Pat Connaughton, and Brook Lopez on the opening-day roster.
