Will Hardy Shares His Thoughts on Jazz's Keyonte George Extension

The Utah Jazz recently made headlines a few weeks away from the start of the 2026-27 NBA season with their decision to sign their budding star guard, Keyonte George, to a five-year, $157.5 million extension.

After a bit of conversation had surrounded the Jazz and their future plans for George this summer heading into a contract year, Utah's front office finally felt that it was time to sign him to that new deal, rather than prolong the inevitable.

George put pen to paper on that deal to keep him in Salt Lake City for the next six years, gets him a nice payday in the process, and for Jazz head coach Will Hardy, keeps one of his homegrown talents onboard who's been with him since the start of Utah's rebuild.

What Will Hardy Said About Keyonte George's Extension

Not many have been as close to George like Hardy has during his development as an unproven rookie guard to now being a focal point of the Jazz's rebuild for the foreseeable future.

But it's been through that process in Utah where George has certainly seen some ups and downs, but also some immense growth from where he was when he first got into the league. And for Hardy, it's been an honor to be a part of it all.

"It's been an honor to be a part of Key's journey," Hardy said of George following his extension. "He's obviously a very talented basketball player, but the best part of this job is you get to know the human beings, and I couldn't be more proud of the player [and] of the young man that he's becoming. And, I say the word 'becoming' intentionally, because he's nowhere near his potential as a person or a player."

George and Hardy have gradually seen their relationship blossom since the guard arrived on the scene as the 16th-overall pick out of Baylor in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Dec 11, 2023; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks to guard Keyonte George (3) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

From a turbulent first two years to then transitioning into a breakout year three, part of that impressive growth can be attributed to the Jazz's coaching staff unlocking the best out of their young backcourt piece.

Hardy says that his relationship with George did take time to develop the strong player-coach bond they have now. However, things changed once each realized they were more alike to one another than they first thought.

"Key and I's relationship got really good when we realized that we're very similar," Hardy continued. "We're both hard-headed. We both can be a little emotional. Neither of us trusts very easily. And I think once we were able to recognize that in each other, we've been able to have some really truthful conversations that are a two-way street."

"We've butted heads plenty, but I'm so proud of who Key is and who he continues to be."

Now after three years of George getting better on the floor, increasingly matured, and becoming more and more important to the Jazz's future plans, Utah finally wanted to hash out his $150 million extension earlier this month––a decision that Hardy calls a commitment from both the team and from George himself, but also a moment of pride for the organization as a whole.

"This is not just a commitment from our team to him. This is his commitment to us," Hardy said. "In my time here, this is the first player that we've drafted and now resigned. This is a moment of pride for our staff from a development standpoint... But, in particular, our fan base should be really proud."

"You guys have known Key since he was 19, and you're going to get to be a part of the next six years of his his journey."

Instead of entering this season with any uncertainty about George's future, the Jazz now have a bit more clarity: Key is here to stay, and in Hardy's mind, is only scratching the surface.

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