Jazz's Keyonte George Reacts to Game-Winning Night vs. Pistons

In this story:
It was another big night for Keyonte George in the midst of the Utah Jazz's 131-129 upset win over the Detroit Pistons.
Following suit with the standout performances he's had so far in his breakout year-three campaign, George led the way for the Jazz to log 31 points on the night with seven rebounds and eight assists, cashed in five total threes, and perhaps most importantly, sealed the win for Utah thanks to a last-second drive and layup that pushed them ahead in the final moments.
It's a big moment that, for George, he doesn't take lightly, and comes as one that he really worked hard for over the course of this summer to see come to fruition.
"It means a lot," George said of his game-winner after the game. "I talk about mental health a lot. In those moments, wanted to keep the body calm, breathe, keep normal breathing. This summer, I worked so hard to work on that type of stuff. So, when I'm in those moments, I mean, I'm able to be calm."
"When I'm at home, I like to imagine myself as certain situations like that, game-winners, down the stretch, just playing good ball. And also, as a kid, you kind of want to be in those moments as well."
Keyonte George (31 PTS) sounds off on his game-winner tonight vs. Detroit!
— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2025
"This summer I worked so hard to work on that type of stuff." pic.twitter.com/rbhdVNRTR0
Keyonte George Saves the Day for Utah
The amount of work and dedication George rallied for in the offseason is clearly taking shape in the beginning portion of this season, and moments like he had against Detroit are proof that those results are finally coming to form.
George has become more confident and refined as a scorer, is becoming more efficient in his opportunities offensively, and really looks like a brand-new player from where he left things off during his sophomore campaign.

He's now up to an impressive 24.1 points per game average, paired with 4.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists on 45.3% shooting from the field, and has since cemented himself as a key focal point within this Jazz rebuild for the foreseeable future.
And the best part is, he's only 22 years old, hinting that the exponential jump he's taken on now might be just scratching the surface of just the type of player George can soon hone into with more of the same hard work he's putting in.
Be sure to bookmark Utah Jazz On SI and follow @JazzOnSI on X to stay up-to-date on daily Utah Jazz news, interviews, breakdowns and more!

Jared Koch is the deputy editor of Utah Jazz On SI. He's covered the NBA and NFL for the past two years, contributing to Denver Broncos On SI, Indianapolis Colts On SI, and Sacramento Kings On SI. He has covered multiple NBA and NFL events on site, and his works have also appeared on Bleacher Report, MSN, and Yahoo.
Follow jjaredkoch