Keyonte George, the rising star leading the Jazz
The emergence of Keyonte George is a true breath of fresh air for Utah. His third season couldn’t be going better, and the young point guard seems to improve with each game. This progression is changing everything for the Salt Lake City franchise.
An unexpected gem in a challenging draft
Tim MacMahon from ESPN highlighted the importance of this breakthrough on The Hoop Collective: « Because (the Jazz) didn’t have a very high lottery pick, they needed one of their recent first-rounders to really break out. Keyonte George wasn’t a lottery pick, but he’s the one who ultimately broke out. »
The journalist continued: « The guy is averaging 24 points per game, like 24 and 7 assists, and has been excellent in clutch situations and appears to be a cornerstone for them going forward. »
This revelation comes at the perfect time for a franchise struggling to identify its future pillars. While Brice Sensabaugh, Isaiah Collier, and Kyle Filipowski have shown flashes of brilliance, ironically, it’s the high lottery picks like Taylor Hendricks and Cody Williams who are still disappointing.
KEYONTE GEORGE IS A PROBLEM
CLUTCH. 🥶
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 9, 2026
The Jazz’s future in George’s hands
Without George’s breakout, this Jazz season would have looked like the same negative show as last year. However, his emergence represents just a first step toward rebuilding. The franchise will need other players to take the next step, particularly Ace Bailey, to complete a core with George and Lauri Markkanen.
Fortunately, Utah has numerous assets that should facilitate acquiring another major piece. A tanking strategy can’t be ruled out to maximize the chances of developing another player, even if it could slow George’s progression.
The future is no longer uncertain regarding Keyonte George’s potential with the Jazz. The question now is how to capitalize on this success while continuing to build around him for years to come.
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