Keyonte George established himself as one of the NBA’s top young guards by earning All-Rookie Second-Team honors in May 2024.
A Promising Start with Room for Growth
His rookie season had its ups and downs, much like many other newcomers.
He flashed potential but also faced challenges, such as low shooting percentages, costly turnovers and struggles with team defense.
Despite these issues, George can be proud of his first season. More importantly, he has demonstrated significant potential as he heads into his second year.
Most of Keyonte George’s potential has been evident on the offensive end. He has already made a name for himself, averaging 13.0 points and 4.4 assists per game, and hitting 147 three-pointers— 20th most by a rookie in NBA history.
While the path to stardom isn’t easy, George’s talent has given Jazz fans reasons to be optimistic. His balanced approach to playmaking and three-point shooting places him among a distinguished group. The only players in NBA history to match or exceed his rookie totals for assists and three-pointers are Luka Dončić, Trae Young, Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry and Allen Iverson.
Being mentioned alongside Stephen Curry is notable, and it’s even more impressive that George tied the rookie record for three-pointers in a game against his idol, Curry. After the game, Curry acknowledged George with a “what’s up sharp-shooter” on the way to the All-Star break.
The Current Skepticism
The totality and sheer volume of what George accomplished in his rookie season is impressive, but there is still hesitation around the league and the NBA about what role George will take.
In a recent series by the Game Theory Podcast, George was not named as one of the top 24 players under 24 years old. There are two main areas for why this might be, first his lackluster defense, and second, his shooting numbers. Out of the 12 rookies that shot at least one three-pointer a game last season, George’s 3P% ranked 10th. George shot just 33% from three during his rookie campaign, generating questions regarding his role as a scorer.
Keyonte’s inefficiencies as a scorer have created a general mood of “wait and see” when it comes to projecting his potential. Diving deeper into George’s rookie season, and experiencing the nightly improvement has excited many Jazz fans.
Film Breakdown
George has a deep bag of tricks that allow him to score from beyond-the-arc. He loves to pull-up, especially in transition settings and ball-screen actions.
He can also come around screens and use dribble-hand-offs to generate easy shots.
When George is scoring from the three-point line, that’s when teams begin to send different defensive coverages. This first play shows Miami sending an extra defender and George finding a cutting Kelly Olynyk.
Many viewers may begin to recognize patterns when watching George’s playmaking. In ball-screen situations, defenses will double or send a big at George, creating an open play for the roller. Teams locked in on Keyonte also look to close out quickly when he is left for an open three-pointer— this is an area where Keyonte has exploited defenses trying to recover.
Embracing the Modern Point Guard Role and Following in Elite Footsteps
Keyonte George’s unique ability to shoot the 3-ball at a high level and would allow him to fit within the vein of the modern-day point guard.
Two players that stand out when talking about a balanced offensive skill set of shot-making and passing are Jamal Murray and Damian Lillard. These two guards have made a living on being able to get hot from the three-point line, and in turn translate that to advantage basketball.
For Keyonte George, they are the model, next season will begin the next phase of replication.
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