NBA Rookie Watch: Former Big 12 Prospects Simultaneously Find NBA Stride

Gradey Dick and Keyonte George have both come a long way from their conference matchups.

Gradey Dick and Keyonte George have both come a long way from their collegiate conference matchups.

In January of 2023, Baylor took on Kansas in a pivotal Big 12 matchup. Baylor ended up winning the contest by a score of 75-69, but the battle of both teams respective star freshmen took center stage. The Jayhawks’ 6-foot-7 wing Gradey Dick got the best of Bears guard Keyonte George. Dick recorded 24 points with a couple of shots made from beyond the arc while George shot just 2-for-11 from the field en route to a mere eight points.

Fast forward five months, and both prospects heard their name called in the first round of the NBA Draft. Dick went 13th overall to the Toronto Raptors while the Utah Jazz drafted George not long after with the 16th pick.

Both rookies received inconsistent minutes early in their rookie years. Dick often sat out games entirely, spending time in the G League. However, they have both recently stabilized their roles with thriving play.

On Feb. 5, in a blowout loss, Dick logged over 30 minutes of playing time and capitalized by hitting four triples and finishing with 22 points. Ever since, he’s been a mainstay in Toronto’s rotation. In his last 11, he’s averaged 21.5 minutes and 12.3 points with pristine efficiency. He’s converted 62% of his 2-point attempts, 51% of his 4.6 of his 3-point shots, and all three of his free-throw tries for a remarkable 71.6 True Shootint Percentage.

On Jan. 29, in a blowout loss, George logged nearly 27 minutes of playing time and capitalized with 21 points. Ever since, he’s recorded at least 20 minutes in every contest, averaging 16.5 points and 4.8 assists per game. He’s noticeably shed some weight to improve his speed while further developing his passing chops.

Moving forward, Dick has the potential to become a valuable starter for the Raptors with his positional size, shooting skill, and off-ball smarts. George has the makings of a potent guard with the on-ball skills to maintain high upside. As their rookie seasons wind to a close, watch out for surges from Dick and George. 

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