Will Hardy Seeing Key Shift in Utah Jazz G Keyonte George

The Utah Jazz, through the ups and downs of another rebuilding season, have wound up seeing some major bright spots out of their third-year guard Keyonte George.

He's averaging a career-best 22.2 points a night as the second-leading scorer on Utah's roster, pairing alongside a career-best 6.7 assists, taking a clear lead as the Jazz's starting point guard, running the offense for now and the foreseeable future.

But it's not just from a numbers-basis that George has showcased some pivotal development. For head coach Will Hardy, there's been a big shift in his mentality on the floor that's helped guide him to some further success.

"Yeah, Keyonte is not the same person that he was last year. And he wasn't a bad person last year. He's maturing a lot," Hardy said before facing the OKC Thunder.

"His understanding of the game, for sure, has gone up, but more than that, his ability to stay focused on what he needs to be focused on, and not let his emotions take over and distract him I think has been his biggest area of growth."

Will Hardy Seeing Major Maturity From Keyonte George

Of course, the physical aspect of any sport is critical to get right, but the mental side of things might present an even more important part that young players have to hone in on to reach their aspired ceiling.

George, like any young player, was subject to the turbulent emotions of his first two years in the league. But as shown through his current campaign, he's presented a revitalized mentality on the defensive end, has put the pieces together offensively for a career-best year, and clearly, the strides have been shown on full display for Hardy.

"Like, we all are subject to the emotional part of our brain, taking over and getting upset about something, and we, in those moments, are not thinking logically at all. I think Keyonte has found a way better balance, and the ability to stay focused is so important in our sport," Hardy continued.

Feb 26, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks with guard Keyonte George (3) in the first half against the Sacramento Kings at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

"48 minutes is a long time. There's gonna be a bunch of moments in tonight's game [vs. OKC] that don't go our way, and we all have to try to fight to maintain the focus and not let our emotions fully take over."

George, through the first portion of his third season pro, has officially cemented himself as a long-term fixture in the mix for Utah's rebuild, in large part due to the shift he made in his mental approach before the season that's helped him lift to the heights he's at now.

And only at 22 years old, this might be just the beginning for George's development to continue growing into one of the better budding offensive guards in the league today.

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