Kyle Kuzma’s time in Milwaukee hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing, but calling him one of the NBA’s most overrated players in 2026? That feels like a take frozen in time.
Let’s rewind. When the Bucks acquired Kuzma at the 2025 trade deadline, the move was met with cautious optimism-at least at first.
Then came the on-court struggles. He looked lost offensively, shaky defensively, and his -12.4 on-off rating was among the worst in the league.
It was a brutal stretch, no doubt. The numbers backed it up, and the eye test didn’t offer much relief.
But this season? Kuzma’s quietly turned things around.
No, he’s not lighting it up from deep, and his offensive metrics still leave something to be desired. His three-point shot continues to lag, which drags down his efficiency.
But there’s been real improvement in his shot selection. He’s taking smarter looks, cutting out the low-percentage heat checks, and showing better decision-making with the ball.
The turnovers that once plagued him have noticeably dipped, and he’s playing more within the flow of the offense.
Defensively, the advanced numbers still paint a less-than-flattering picture. But if you’ve been watching Bucks games closely, you know Kuzma’s been one of their more reliable wing defenders.
In fact, he’s arguably their best perimeter option on that end. He’s long, active, and more engaged than he was during his time in Washington.
The Bucks don’t have a lockdown wing stopper, but Kuzma’s done his part-especially considering the team’s overall defensive inconsistencies.
Still, that didn’t stop Bleacher Report from labeling him the eighth-most overrated player in the league, part of a list topped by Draymond Green. The rationale? A combination of contract, expectations, and perceived production.
Let’s talk about that contract: four years, $90 million. That’s starter money, no doubt.
But the idea that Kuzma should be relegated to a seventh or eighth man role on a playoff team might be oversimplifying things. He’s been versatile-starting when needed, coming off the bench when asked-and has largely filled the role the Bucks have carved out for him.
Yes, he entered the league with real promise. A 6’8” forward who finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting back in 2017, Kuzma looked like a future star with the Lakers.
But stardom never fully materialized. In Washington, he put up big numbers, but they didn’t translate to wins.
That’s often the case on struggling teams-someone has to score, and Kuzma was that guy.
The Bucks didn’t bring him in expecting him to be a franchise savior. The trade, in reality, may have been more about financial maneuvering than basketball upside-moving Khris Middleton’s deal and avoiding the second tax apron. Kuzma was a piece in that puzzle, not the centerpiece.
And while he didn’t exactly light the world on fire post-trade-remember that infamous playoff game where he logged major minutes with a near-empty box score-he’s bounced back this season with a more defined role. He’s averaging 12.9 points, five rebounds, and 2.5 assists on 48.1% shooting. That’s not eye-popping, but it’s solid production from a player who’s been asked to do a little bit of everything.
He’s cutting hard, defending wings, and spotting up when needed. He’s not hijacking the offense or trying to be something he’s not. And for a Bucks team trying to find the right balance around Giannis Antetokounmpo, that kind of role player has value-even if it doesn’t always show up in the on-off splits (his current differential sits at -4.6).
So is Kuzma overpaid? Maybe.
Is he overrated? That’s a harder sell, especially when most fans and analysts stopped expecting star-level production from him years ago.
At this point, he’s doing what he’s supposed to do-and doing it better than he did last season. That might not make headlines, but it’s a far cry from being one of the most overrated players in the league.