Jazz G Keyonte George Among ESPN's Top 10 'Most Interesting' Sophomores

The Utah Jazz guard could be in for a big time year two.

Apr 11, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) and Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) chase a loose a ball during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Entering into the 2024-25 NBA season, the Utah Jazz are among the key names around the league possessing some surging young talent that could see a bit of strong development within what could be another rebuilding year in Salt Lake City.

In just the three summers of their rebuilding process, the Jazz haven't gotten their hands on a top-tier future superstar at the top of the draft just yet. Still, several young components have gradually been added into the fold that should continue to evolve as critical pieces of Utah's success moving forward.

Among their group of young pieces, one name that may rise above the rest for next season may be their second-year guard Keyonte George, who recently received some significant praise in ESPN's latest NBA rankings.

Within ESPN's newest rankings stacking up the "most interesting" sophomores, Keyonte George found himself right in the mix of names to watch, coming in at the 8th spot. ESPN writer Jeremy Woo dove into his potential to elevate in his role of being a lead signal caller which could eventually lead to a big jump in development.

There is optimism surrounding George's progress, bolstered by excellent showing at summer league in July: his long-term upside lies at the point, where he's better-suited physically for the position. The Jazz are hoping George can continue growing into that role, and he has always been viewed around the league as a talented scoring prospect, but he's still facing a steep learning curve... George has a nice runway this season to turn a corner in his development.

- Jeremy Woo, ESPN

George didn't quite make it to the top of the ranks, as that honor was held down by the likes of Victor Wembanyama, Amen Thompson, and Chet Holmgren rounding out the top three, but it's clear the Jazz guard still stands out as one of the more notable young guards to watch around the league for 2024.

George had a productive start to his career during his last campaign in Utah, posting 13.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists on 39.1% shooting from the field and 33.4% from deep. There's room for growth in his shooting efficiency and his ability as a playmaker, but there's upside to build upon, especially so as the Jazz emphasize their youth movement a bit more next season.

One glaring struggle the Jazz suffered from last season leaned upon their ball security and their lack of a lead playmaker, and as George continues his development track towards being the lead guard in this backcourt, he can help mitigate those offensive flaws Utah suffered from.

Expect some big things from Keyonte George during the 2024-25 NBA season.

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