Kyle Kuzma begins the ‘Kyle Kuzma Family Foundation'

Kyle Kuzma begins the ‘Kyle Kuzma Family Foundation' originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

It has been a busy and eventful offseason for Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma. In June, Kuzma and Washington agreed to a four-year, $90 million extension. Since then, Kuzma is already paying it forward to the people and communities that helped him get to where he is today.

On Thursday, it was announced on Instagram that Kuzma and his personal team have started the Kyle Kuzma Family Foundation. The goal of the foundation is to positively impact "the lives of single mothers and their children in Michigan, the DMV and LA."

Growing up with a single mom, Kuzma knows how important it is to support families who could use help. Karri Kuzma raised her son to be the best version of himself and has served as his inspiration.

“[She] inspired me tremendously,” Kuzma said about his mom on Good Morning America. “When I was growing up, she worked two jobs and that hard work and dedication, just to make ends meet, put food on the table, that’s been my inspiration my entire life. Seeing that at a young age and seeing how someone of her, just leading by example for her kids and everything it was all I really needed.”

The inspiration to give back began this past season. Kuzma announced his plan to donate $1 million to the YMCA of the greater Flint, Michigan area to build a brand-new gymnasium.

“Growing up in Flint, the YMCA was very much my home away from home,” Kuzma said in a statement. “This donation is for the next generation and it’s my hope that this new facility can provide them with the same thing that it did for me: a place to dream.”

Karri Kuzma knows how important it is for single mothers to have a safe environment to provide for their kids while at work. Watching her son grow up and now being able to give back was really a full-circle moment for her.

“I would drop him off sometimes before work and he would have to stay here [YMCA] for eight hours until I could get out of work to come get him,” Karri Kuzma said on Good Morning America. “It just shows the commitment that he has and that’s why he is where he is and I’m so proud of what he’s done on the court, but more importantly what he’s done off the court.”

If you know Kyle Kuzma’s backstory, you know he grew up in his local YMCA gym constantly getting shots up and playing in pick-up games.

“Me being able to get to the Y early and play against the older guys at like 12 [noon] when they had their lunch break, and being able to stay until five to play with my guys, it helped shaped my life and who I am today,” Kuzma said.

This past May, just four months after Kuzma announced his donation plans for Flint, he shared an update on Instagram for the new YMCA.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr11xXmJltd

During the 2022-23 season, Kuzma’s mom was interviewed by Chris Miller and Drew Gooden during one of the Wizards’ away games in Detroit. She was asked about what it meant to her to see her son provide for their community.

“Just him being able to do that, just even the thought of a million dollars is just still crazy to me,” Karri Kuzma said. “There were years he didn’t get Christmas presents; you know what I’m saying. Him gifting that to other people, I still get emotional.”

Kuzma could never forget about the community in Flint, Michigan that helped raise him, but more importantly, he could never forget about the one person who has had his back since day one, his mom.

They shared another heartful moment when Karri interviewed her son after he signed his humbling four-year extension to stay in Washington.

Kuzma's latest philanthropy will help families and communities, similar to the one that helped raise him in Flint. It's bigger than basketball and for Kuzma, it's a way to use his platform to make a difference and help generations to come.