WASHINGTON — Kyshawn George added eight pounds on lean muscle this offseason to become a more versatile defender.
What he didn’t expect was how much it would help his offensive game as well. Namely, bodying his way into the paint for easy layups or kick-outs to open teammates.
The 22-year-old wing tallied used that muscle to tally 21 points and four assists in the Wizards’ 131-122 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. It’s a sign of things to come for George, who’s entering a possible breakout campaign
in Year 3.
“Just more durability, being more confident in my body, what I could do out there,” George said of his added muscle. “I think I always had the skill set, just having the strength and the athleticism to just put it on display on an hourly basis. So having that work being done over the offseason gave me more confidence to go do it in the game.”
George opened the game with a patient step-through move into a mid-range jumper and later skied in for a put-back layup. Isolated on the wing, George drove left and used his added strength to fend off Michael Porter Jr. with his off-arm before drawing contact and making the ensuing free throws.
That ability to muscle inside and draw contact is one of the many perks of added weight, especially against NBA competition.
“My first intention was to be able to add on weight to guard multiple positions, keep that same ability, but guard you know bigger players. And offensively, it’s the same thing,” George said. “I’d be able to get in the paint, draw contact, and then find the open man.”
Then came George’s playmaking — an area the Wizards want him to expand this season. The 6-foot-9 wing received a pass from Alex Sarr before throwing a transition lob to AJ Dybantsa that ignited Capital One Arena.
“I think it’s just getting comfortable [playing point guard],” George said. “I’ve been the point guard for most of my life. It’s just being able to do at this level, and we got a whole ton of support outside of this. So I’m gonna just go out and do it. “
George finished his impressive opening quarter with a 3-point barrage. The Miami product ran the baseline and found space on the wing before drilling his first triple. He followed with another three on the ensuing possession to give him 12 first-quarter points on 4-for-5 shooting.
