The Washington Wizards got a guy. Kyshawn George has been one of the standouts, not just from the Wizards team, but across the entire league over the first three games.
George has been a premier ball handler for a Washington team so desperate for one, but he has also just taken the leap as a player. George looks like one of the best young players in the league, and the best on the Wizards.
Washington has found a key piece for an encouraging future.
The Lead Player
Kyshawn George has genuinely been the lead guy for a Wizards team with CJ McCollum and Bub Carrington, a player the Wizards invested so much in.
George has 210 touches across the first three games, with McCollum and Carrington at just 168 and 150, respectively. Why is that? He’s producing at an elite level. George is leading the Wizards with 61 points, and no other player even has 50.
George isn’t shot-chucking either; he’s made 56.8% of his total shots and 52.6% of his threes. This equals out to a 71.4 TS%.
https://twitter.com/TheLeadSM/status/1981920399723217134
George has been able to do this with the huge changes he’s worked on over the summer. Despite being an inefficient shooter for the majority of last season, he’s much better shooting from deep this year. His form is truly beautiful, a very low base and good foundation lead to the 10 threes George has already made.
George grew two inches and gained muscle over the summer, and it is easy to tell. George has been able to use his body to shield the ball and push defenders off their spot, allowing him to get easy shots and beat better defenders.
Underrated Defender
Kyshawn George was called a weak defender on draft night, but in just about 500 days, George has turned into one of the best defenders in the league.
George is a force in passing lanes, already garnering three steals, two of which led to good looks for himself. Opponents have shot just 7-20 on Kyshawn from three, and he has been a beast on the perimeter.
Head coach Brian Keefe has put full trust in George on the defensive end in just his second year. With Bilal Coulibaly missing the first stint of the season, George has had to be the lead defender for this team.
In game one, George drew the Giannis assignment and held him to just four shot attempts while George was guarding him for the majority of the first half. Against Dallas, George held Anthony Davis to just three attempts while guarding him for a substantial amount of time. The Mavs shot just 7-21 when guarded by George.
What This Means for the Future
Kyshawn George is truly a guy. This isn’t bias; this isn’t an overreaction. The Wizards have a player.
George has shown this to end last season, in the summer league, in the FIBA Americup tournament, and in the preseason. The signs were there. George likely won’t maintain this 20.3 points per game pace, but there should be no expectation for him to do so.
This is a 21-year-old who can score on all three levels as an elite shooter, confident with the ball in his hands, a great playmaker, and a S-tier defender. This is a future All-Star in the making. DC, go celebrate.
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