During the regular season in the NBA, players travel constantly, but as Washington Wizards star Kyle Kuzma explained to ESSENCE, they don’t get to explore the destinations they touch down in. They are there for business, and then they’re off to the next location. That’s why the off-season is such an important time for the league’s athletes. It’s the few months they get to themselves before the NBA season commences in October (and goes through April, or through to June for the two teams lucky enough to make it to the Finals). So Kuzma takes full advantage of the time.
The 29-year-old, who grew up in Flint, Michigan, sees having the opportunity to travel the world as one of the greatest gifts. “I didn’t have many opportunities to explore beyond my hometown, which is why I value traveling so much now,” he says. “Every time I travel, I learn something new, and I leave a destination with a better understanding of different cultures. I’m so grateful now to have the means, time in the offseason, and inspiration from GetYourGuide to take unbelievable trips.”
GetYourGuide is an online marketplace creating one-of-a-kind travel experiences and excursions for journeyers. More than 50 athletes invested in the platform, including Kuzma and NFL star Justin Jefferson, who enjoyed a luxurious family getaway to Rome a few months back with help from the site. Kuzma recently had his own unforgettable trip to the South of France with assistance from GetYourGuide, which included his gorgeous girlfriend, Winnie Harlow. The two enjoyed wine tasting, learning the lawn game pétanque, guided tours, and, ultimately, quality time together. We caught up with the forward to learn more about the vacation, why Harlow is the best travel partner, and why GetYourGuide is the go-to marketplace for seeing the world differently.
ESSENCE: A lot of travel is necessary during the NBA season, though it’s not often the international kind. Why is it essential for you to get out there when it’s the offseason?
Kyle Kuzma: Being in the NBA, I travel across the country and the world pretty frequently, but we’re rarely in one city enough to truly experience what it has to offer. So traveling during the offseason is really special because I have enough time to really learn the city’s culture and get some R&R for myself.
And how do you also use this time to enjoy quality moments around the world with Winnie? What makes her the perfect travel partner?
It’s extremely special for me to travel with Winnie. We have the same interests when traveling—hitting all the fashion hotspots and great restaurants and doing a lot of wine tasting—so it’s effortless to plan trips together, and utilizing GetYourGuide makes it even easier.
There are many places that athletes travel to during the off-season. What did you love about experiencing the French Riviera? Was it your first time?
I’ve been to the French Riviera briefly before but this time around was even more special with GetYourGuide. Winnie and I were amazed at the beautiful scenery, wine tastings, and, of course, the fashion. GetYourGuide helped curate the perfect day trip – we walked around St Paul de Vence, and we learned how to play petanque, which was cool. We also explored the wine region of Côtes de Provence, where we met some amazing local winemakers.
What are the sights and spots you loved that you would recommend?
I’m a huge fan of wine tastings and visiting wineries; it’s the top activity on my list of to-dos while traveling, so I definitely enjoyed our Provence Wine Tour. There is no better way to enjoy the offseason than with a good glass of wine, and it’s a great conversation starter with locals or with other travelers on the tour.
Where do you have your sights set on visiting next?
Next, I’d love to check out Rome. I saw Justin Jefferson just had a great trip there with GetYourGuide, and the experiences he had, like the Turning the Lights on at the Vatican tour, sound awesome. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I wouldn’t want to miss.
What were the benefits of booking with GetYourGuide, and what motivated you to partner with them and invest in the marketplace?
When Patricof Co. came to me with the opportunity to invest in GetYourGuide, I was immediately intrigued. As athletes, we have very little downtime, so what we choose to do during the offseason is extremely important – whether that’s pursuing a passion, relaxing, or spending time with family and friends.
I love to travel, that’s my thing. Traveling and exploring the world with loved ones is something I really enjoy doing, so when I do get to travel, I want to make sure what I do is worth it. What caught my attention about GetYourGuide is its mission of offering travelers unforgettable experiences. I was really excited to have the opportunity to show an unfiltered view of Winnie and me traveling. We want to inspire people to make memories with the ones they love because those are the ones you will never forget, and GetYourGuide makes that possible.
