Jazz G Keyonte George Shows Inspiring Flashes in NBA Debut vs. Kings

The Utah Jazz finally kicked off their 2023-24 campaign on Wednesday, ultimately falling in a disappointing loss 114-130 to the Sacramento Kings. While there was an abundance of aspects of the game that can be looked at with a sense of dismay, the night was not all bad.

In particular, rookie G Keyonte George played solidly in the stints he was on the floor. Through his 18 minutes played, he posted eight points, two rebounds, two assists, and shot the ball effectively in the process (3/5 from the floor). While his numbers are not exactly jumping off the page by any means, seeing early signs of success from your year one player in the first game of the season is always welcome.

To start the game, George saw a few consecutive possessions standing in the corner to space the floor out a bit more, in part due to match the barrage of outside makes Sacramento had on the night. It was not until the second quarter before we saw the bulk of his production, where he took more control to create his shot and become an increased focal point of the offense.

First career bucket for Keyonte George pic.twitter.com/zBDITOgmaC
— Yuta Jazz 🐶🏀 (@YutaJazz00) October 26, 2023

Things might take some time for George to establish himself as a nightly starter for this lineup, but the signs of him being a future cornerstone of this franchise are becoming more apparent by the day. If he can remain consistent and efficient with his scoring and develop further as a playmaker, HC Will Hardy will have a difficult time keeping him out of the first five.

Keyonte and the rest of the Jazz will look to bounce back after a tough opening night loss against the Los Angeles Clippers, back at the Delta Center on Friday, October 27th at 7:30 PM MT.

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