Jazz's Will Hardy Admits Keyonte George Looked Rusty vs Pelicans

The Utah Jazz finally got a chance to see Keyonte George back on the floor against the New Orleans Pelicans for the first time since the All-Star break ended, after ending what was a six-game absence due to an ankle sprain he suffered earlier in February.

The game wasn't able to land in the Jazz's favor in terms of a win, as the Pelicans would be able to get the best of Utah in their second meeting of the week against them, claiming another double-digit victory, 105-115.

But regardless of the loss, it was nice to see George back on the floor in the process of his breakout third year. In 23 minutes, he chipped in for 17 points, two rebounds and six assists and shooting 4-11 from the field.

Jazz head coach Will Hardy credited the performance as "a little rusty" for George, but still had a few positives worth noting within his long-awaited return.

"A little rusty, but I thought he was moving great, thought he was getting up and down well," Hardy said postgame. "I thought he made some athletic plays in small spaces. I was more concerned with his willingness to slam on the brakes, and I thought he had a couple possessions where he really pushed it athletically, his change of direction offensively has become a weapon for him. And obviously, to play good defense, you have to be willing to plant and change directions."

"So I think, for the most part, he did okay. I'm sure he's, you know, like any player, he's frustrated. He probably feels like he should have made a few more shots, but that's not what I was watching tonight."

Will Hardy on Keyonte George's return to play pic.twitter.com/dnFXHqYraZ
— JP Chunga (@JP_Chunga) March 1, 2026

Will Hardy Says Keyonte George Was "A Little Rusty" vs. Pelicans

For any player returning to the floor after missing multiple weeks, it's easy to see how a bit of rust and a slow start can factor into the picture. A young guard like George is certainly no exception, and that showed with his lesser efficiency numbers than he's been accustomed to for most of this season.

But for Hardy, even with the rust coming into play, there were still several good factors of note that played into his first game back.

George looked back up to par athletically, had flashes of nice plays on the offensive end, and even showed glimpses of how he can continue to improve on the defensive end; tweaks Hardy and the Jazz coaching staff have urged George to make since entering the league.

Feb 20, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy reacts during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

In that small 23-minute sample size, George did alright. And the more he's able to find his groove into the Jazz's lineup once again as he had previously made throughout the season, he'll get even better numbers posted on the board from what was seen against the Pelicans, and perhaps even showcase that upside defensively a bit further as well.

The next time George will have an opportunity to take the floor for the Jazz lands at the top of next week back at home against the Denver Nuggets––a group that has seen its own ups and downs across the past few weeks, but still remains a force to be reckoned with as one of the top-ranked teams in the Western Conference.