Ranking Jazz's Best Rebuild Prospects: Keyonte George | No. 1

The Utah Jazz have high expectations for Keyonte George

Apr 11, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) drives against Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Utah Jazz have more than likely wrapped up their major offseason moves. Most notably, the team has added three new rookies to their young core. The Jazz now have three years of draft picks since initially embarking upon this daunting rebuild. Though each prospect is at a different point in their development, and each one figures to have different value to the team’s future, let’s rank them. 

This is not a ranking of who has the ultimate highest ceiling nor is it a look solely at who’s the best right now- we’ll consider what they’ve shown already, the areas they figure to improve, and the context of where that fits for the Jazz. Without further ado, let’s dive in. 

7. Brice Sensabaugh

6. Kyle Filipowski

5. Isaiah Collier

4. Walker Kessler

3. Taylor Hendricks

2. Cody Williams 

1. Keyonte George 

The 20-year-old out of Baylor turned heads in his first season as a member of the Jazz thanks to his advanced offensive game. George came to Utah with the 16th pick in the 2023 draft despite being projected to go much higher throughout the year- a theme with many of the teams’ draft picks the past two years. Since then, the All-Rookie honoree has been the bright spot of this young Jazz rebuild. 

Keyonte George is one of my best bets for a breakout sophomore season & it’s no surprise why.

Averaging 13/2.8/4.4 on 39.1/33.4/84.8 splits, George earned All-Rookie 2nd team accolades & showcased why he’s one of the bright talents that’s primed for a Year 2 breakout.#UtahJazz pic.twitter.com/PQmxPWrju3

— mohamed (@mcfxz) July 11, 2024

George was widely viewed as a combo guard when he was drafted. Despite this, he quickly earned Will Hardy’s trust with his high-level basketball IQ and natural feel as a passer to become the team's starting point guard.

He’s entering a pivotal sophomore season as he looks to continue sharpening his point guard skills. George is new to the position, but his mix of shotmaking, passing, and intelligence makes me bullish on his outlook. He’ll have the opportunity to show the team’s decision-makers that he can truly develop into their lead guard of the future. 

Check out this dime from Keyonte George. His passing has so clearly exceeded expectations thus far pic.twitter.com/C35ZPiG4pm

— Draft Dummies (@DraftDummies) November 18, 2023

 

The last time we saw George on the court he was busy pouring in 31 points and 5 assists on a very efficient 9/15 shooting during the SLC Summer League. While we didn’t see much of him this summer, he proved he was on another level than most of those he shared the court with.

George wasn’t perfect. The balance between hunting for his shot and setting up his teammates tilted in the wrong direction at times. Overall, though, he had a very good summer showing.

Some of George's improvement areas are simple. First, he needs to become more efficient. I am not worried about this, as his shotmaking talent is obvious. George's shots should start falling as he gets stronger and more comfortable.

Secondly, he needs to sharpen his handle and decision-making. This is yet another thing that most young guards struggle with. Lastly, George needs to become a more impactful defender. With his size and athleticism, though, I expect him to continue to grow. If he continues to buy in, he’ll be fine. 

One of George's most unique traits is his confidence. It is special for a 20-year-old guard to come into the league and not be afraid. The moment that sticks out to me is his record-tying 9-three-pointer game against Steph Curry. I look forward to seeing where his mix of confidence and hard work will take him. 

 

A record-setting night for the rook 🔑@keyonte1george’s 𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗦 against Golden State tied the @NBA rookie record for most in a single game 🫡#BESTofNBA pic.twitter.com/bEULaxalvh

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) September 13, 2024

George is an exciting young talent, given his advanced shotmaking skills, high-level passing flashes, and keen basketball mind. As he continues to learn the intricacies of the point guard position, I expect him to transform into one of the better offensive guards in the league. I also look forward to him leading this young Jazz team. He will be asked to do a lot this year, and we’ll soon find out how ready he is.

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