Airplanes are not built for tall people. Every seat is designed like it belongs behind home plate at Fenway Park and said seats are arranged like a Radiohead song off Amnesiac. It’s almost painful to see tall people on airplanes because you know they’re not having a good time. Especially when they have to give up on comfort just so the plane can actually take off.
A man named Paul Kuzma posted on Facebook Monday afternoon chronicling the story of his flight, which was delayed and soon overbooked. He decided to help out and take a seat in the back and hoped he would be able to sit alone. But another very tall gentleman decided to downgrade seats to help get the plane off the ground, and it turns out the 7-foot-1 gentleman giving up his legroom was Milwaukee Bucks forward Thon Maker.
I told him I was so sorry, knowing this would be uncomfortable for him. He nonchalantly said it was worth it to get this delayed flight going. He had practice to attend in the morning and had a 2+ hour drive to get where he was headed after landing.
“Who do you play for?,” I asked, thinking it would be a college. He answered, “the #MilwaukeeBucks.” I tried to not show surprise and asked how long he’d been with them. This is his 2nd year.
Kuzma, it turns out, is second cousins with Kyle Kuzma, the Lakers rookie who won MVP honors in the Las Vegas Summer League championship game. Though the cousin said he’s not much of an NBA guy, the two chatted throughout the flight and even took a selfie together.
The flight wasn’t the most comfortable experience for Maker, as he had to actually stand up every time the drink cart tried to get past him. But Kuzma raved about him and it seems like the two really got along well on the flight.
