Will Hardy Wants More Respect for Utah Jazz G Keyonte George

It wound up being another big night for third-year Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, despite a disheartening 143-135 home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, during a night in which he found his way to 34 points and eight assists, making for his third straight game of logging 30 points or more.

The impact that George is bringing to the Jazz on a nightly basis is becoming harder and harder to ignore, and especially within a game that Utah was forced to be without Lauri Markkanen, their 22-year-old guard clearly showed he was more than capable of being the focal point on the offensive end when the team was in need.

For Jazz head coach Will Hardy, such a performance for George against the Lakers left him with one clear takeaway: it's time to stop making excuses for why he’s started off so hot.

"I think it's time that everybody stops trying to give reasons why Keyonte is playing well," Hardy said after facing the Lakers. "Like, he's only well because Lauri helps him so much. And, oh he's only playing well because of this... No, he's pretty f---ing good. And I think it's time that everybody gives him some respect."

"He's worked hard, the way he carries himself, the way he works every day, the way he takes coaching, the way he interacts with his teammates, the way he's helping Ace [Bailey]. Believe me, there's nobody that's going to be harder on Key than me, but he's pretty freaking good. And to do it tonight against that team when Lauri's not on the court, I do think speaks volumes to the level that he's at right now."

I think it's time that everybody stops trying to give reasons why Keyonte's playing well. Oh well he's only playing well because Lauri helps him so much. He's only playing well because of this. No, he's pretty f-ing good. And I think it's time everybody gives him some respect. pic.twitter.com/wXVEgbbe1g
— JP Chunga (@JP_Chunga) December 19, 2025

Keyonte George Becoming True Cornerstone of Jazz Rebuild

George's first two years in the NBA had some ups and downs. He had glaring inefficiencies on the offensive end, was lackluster on the defensive end, and faced major questions of whether he'd be capable of becoming a future starting guard for the Jazz's next competitive team.

Fast forward to now, and it's become clearer than ever that George has taken his game to another level. Between a busy offseason and continuing to find his place and comfort within the roster, the Jazz's third-year guard has made just the right strides to inspire that refreshed confidence moving forward.

And for Will Hardy, he's making sure the credit for his young guard doesn't get lost in the shuffle.

Dec 18, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) shoots the ball past Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake Laravia (12) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

Particularly when George is on a tear like he's been on through the past three nights, putting up 30-plus in each, including a career-high 39 against the Memphis Grizzlies, his status amongst the best young guards in the NBA is rising fast, and will only continue to do so if he is able to keep at his current pace.

This time against the Lakers, those efforts felt short of a victory, but George's outing alone is certainly an added bonus that won't leave the Jazz walking away empty-handed.

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