Every great team has leaders. Players who inspire, teach, and motivate — sometimes with words, sometimes just by outworking everyone else. A team’s leader doesn’t always have to be its best player (although it helps if they are). The Warriors’ dynasty had Draymond Green as a great vocal leader. The Celtics had Marcus Smart for a long time as their emotional leader and communicator. Both of these guys set the tone, and their teammates followed. But leadership doesn’t always look like Draymond barking
on defense. Sometimes it looks like a 22-year-old flying his teammates to his hometown for a week of training. Keyonte George is becoming that tone-setter for the Utah Jazz.
Keyonte George has shown leadership qualities as early last summer. According to Sarah Todd of Deseret News, George took it upon himself last off season to ask Will Hardy for permission to fly his teammates to his hometown of Lewisville, Texas. Will Hardy was of course on board, and noted that the best teams he has been around have really strong human connection. One way to build that connection is by spending time together. The group that ended up going to Texas included Ace Bailey, Taylor Hendricks, Brice Sensabaugh, Elijah Harkless, Walter Clayton, and John Tonje.
In Texas, the Jazz players went through conditioning drills, played pickup games, and lifted weights together. They also had a chance to bond off the court, going to football games, concerts, and eating out. Will Hardy noticed immediate impact at camp in the way they were able to be more honest and blunt with each other.
Another great way George has been leading this team is by his example. After his 3rd straight 30-point game last December, his teammate, Isaiah Collier, called him a “great leader for us as a team,” pointing to the offseason work everyone on the team had witnessed and noting that it was “contagious.” Coach Will Hardy went further, explaining that he didn’t want to claim George was the sole reason his teammates were working hard, but that “the way that he works and carries himself rubs off on a lot of our team.”
This kind of work ethic and example George is setting for his teammates is so important for a young team like Utah who is still looking for an identity and trying to build a lasting culture. His breakout season has shown the other young players what can happen if they put in the work over an entire offseason.
Furthermore, George showed his commitment to the team earlier this year in March when he went down with a hamstring injury. According to Sarah Todd, although the injury eliminated his chance of winning the Most Improved Player award, George “cheered on his teammates from the sidelines. He offered advice during dead balls and shared laughs during timeouts.”
Great leaders put others before themselves, and understand that team success is more important than personal accolades. George could have let missing out on a chance to win Most Improved Player make him angry, but instead he put the Jazz first and showed up for his teammates.
George’s leadership hasn’t stopped with the players already in the locker room, he has made a point of welcoming new ones, too. When Darryn Peterson was selected with the No. 2 overall pick, George didn’t wait until training camp to start building a relationship with him. The two had dinner together Peterson’s first night in Utah.
Peterson later shared what George had told him to expect heading into his first Summer League practice: “Whatever you think is hard, just multiply it by ten.” Peterson said the advice didn’t scare him, but prepared him to work.
That mentorship continued into Summer League practices, where Keyonte George has been a constant presence despite not being on the Summer League roster himself.
During one practice, George drew up a play to get Darryn Peterson the ball and it ended up working. What started as a joke about putting Keyonte George on the coaching staff is now becoming a reality. George agreed to join head coach Steve Wojciechowski’s staff as an assistant coach for their Summer League opener on July 9th against the Washington Wizards.
One of the rare instances of an active player taking on a coaching role like this, and reportedly had to be cleared with the league office before becoming official, showing just how invested George is in Utah’s young core.
At just 22 years old and coming off the best season of his career, Keyonte George could be spending his summer on vacation or locked in on his own offseason training. Instead, he’ll be on the sideline with a clipboard, helping develop the next generation of Jazz talent in Ace Bailey, Darryn Peterson, and Cody Williams.
As Utah enters the next era of Jazz basketball, they need cornerstones to build the franchise around. Maybe Ace Bailey or Darryn Peterson become the next Jazz superstar. But every great team also needs someone to set the standard for everyone else.
Keyonte George is already doing that.
Whether it’s organizing offseason workouts, setting the standard with his own preparation, mentoring rookies, or spending his summer helping coach instead of taking time for himself, George has consistently shown that he’s invested in something bigger than just his next contract.
The Jazz have a lot to do before they win a championship. But when they do, don’t be shocked if people look back on moments like these and see the foundation of the culture that made it possible.
