The 2025 NBA Media Day was full of plentiful “X player has reportedly grown 3 inches”, “Y player has reportedly gained 10lbs” as always, but nothing stood out to me more to me on Jazz Media Day than the
impression Keyonte George made during his player availability:
As the newly appointed GM, Austin Ainge has given Keyonte the mantle and has taken off his training wheels. George spoke highly about his first two years under the wing of Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and John Collins — now he’s ready to put on the superhero cape himself. After losing his starting role to rookie Isaiah Collier last season, a leadership role would be a generous addition from a 21-year-old NBA player.
But what has changed the philosophy of Keyonte George? He accepts he’s a cog in a wheel rather than a main component. With a fresh coat of paint, he knows his place in the system — the horn that leads the army into battle, and it’s already come into effect. This included a practice trip to Dallas back in early September, which featured his teammates Ace Bailey, Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh, Taylor Hendricks, Walter Clayton Jr., John Tonje, and Elijah Harkless.
What even is Keyonte George by definition?
Set the scene on June 22nd 2023: A fall from grace landed a top-10 high school recruit into the laps of the Godfather, Danny Ainge. It doesn’t stop there — in Genesis fashion — Keyonte floods the NBA during June and averages over 21 points and six assists while shooting 44% from beyond the arc inside Las Vegas Summer League. The turns have been tabled, and the NBA world is ready to talk about the kid from Baylor. George earns the honors of All-Rookie and becomes a full-time starter in the Will Hardy revolution, doing what rookies are supposed to do in putting up as many shots as possible and hoping they sink.
But that’s when the tank has reached its capacity. The Keyonte block could never fit in the PG-shaped hole. Not long after, he was overtaken by his underclassmen and saw it as a personal demotion. The defense stayed the same. The efficiency never saw an upward trend on an even worse Utah Jazz squad. He scored the ball like he always has, but had as many empty calories as air-popped popcorn. Wait, was he a Michigan J. Frog who shuns the fickleness of fame? Or is it a leap of faith he’s yet to take?
The idealised 2026 Keyonte George hits the tough shots from created space and operates as the second maestro in a brilliant Will Hardy game plan. Someone to draw the attention off Batman and fight off the treacherous villain’s goons. The actuality is that the product we’ve been sold over the past two seasons has been mediocre in the grand scheme of things. The talent has always been there, but the basketball gods await to see an improvement in the efficiency category, along with a reduction in turnovers.
That’s not to say a 21-year-old has already hit the peak of the mountains — the Trey Burke flashbacks still ring the wrong bells, but Year 3 is his chance to prove he’s more than a stat stuffer and break through the mold.
