After a roller coaster season with the Baylor Bears, Keyonte George’s draft night went a little differently than some expected.
George was long talked about as a top-10 or even top-five talent in the 2023 draft before a season-ending foot injury forced his departure. His ability to score with ease and potentially strong passing seemed fit for the big leagues.But on draft day, George moved up to the 16th pick. Acquired the Jazz with the second pick in the first round.
Now, halfway through his rookie NBA season, George is turning heads once again. Over the past four games, George is averaging 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 53 percent overall, 40 percent from beyond the arc and 89 percent from the line. His high was 21 points on over 50% shooting against Brooklyn. Sunday night ended with him recording his first double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds against Milwaukee.As for the season, George’s season has been somewhat ineffective (38% overall, 33% from 3-point range).
But it set the stage for a great future location. He ranked fifth in Utah with 11.2 points per game. His assist-to-turnover ratio of over 2-to-1 really stands out for a former college scorer. His defense wasn’t perfect, but his focus and effort were evident.In short, there is still a lot of work to do on all fronts, but the Jazz may already be a version of the draft loaded with talent.
