Keyonte George's pure scoring ability has long-term NBA upside
Keyonte George's pure scoring ability has long-term NBA upside originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
The Washington Wizards have the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the latest in our series of draft prospects who could fall around where the Wizards will select...
2023 NBA Draft Wizards Prospect Profile: Keyonte George
Team: Baylor
Position: Shooting guard
Age: 19
Height: 6-4
Weight: 185
Wingspan: N/A
2022/23 stats: 33 G, 15.3 ppg, 2.8 apg, 4.2 rpg, 1.1 spg, 0.2 bpg, 37.6 FG% (4.7/12.5), 33.8 3PT% (2.3/6.9), 79.3 FT% (3.6/4.5)
Player comparison: Markelle Fultz, Bradley Beal
Projections: NBC Sports Washington 17th, Ringer 14th, Athletic 18th, ESPN 15th, NBADraft.net 11th, Bleacher Report 15th
5 things to know:
- George is a scorer, pure and simple. He made his mark on the tough-to-break-into Baylor roster as an 18-year-old freshman, posting the second-highest scoring mark on the team at 15.3 ppg (their leading scorer put up just 0.3 more points per game than he did). He's got as pure a touch as you'll see in the freshman class, making for an intriguing long-term offensive prospect in the NBA. He can penetrate the lane and score in the interior, pull up from midrange, and work pick-and-rolls.
- However, if you look at his shooting numbers, they're only so-so. He shot just 34% from deep in his lone season at Baylor, but he's a player who analytics guys will love -- i.e. he shoots primarily threes and close-range shots in the lane. He shot 42% on two-point shots and 79% from the line this season though, meaning the upside is absolutely there to be a pure scoring threat at the pro level. He's got a beautiful shot form and can create his own offense with more ease than most players with his frame.
- George is an adept ballhandler with a knack for shredding defenses by any means necessary. He's a crafty finisher and also pounds the boards with more tenacity than most guards, pulling down 4.2 rebounds a game (good for fourth-best on Baylor and the only guard in the top seven in that category on his team). Attacking downhill is one of his biggest strengths. Give him a head of steam into the lane, and he'll make you pay. Just check out the highlight reel from his best game in college, when he dropped 32 points in 33 minutes vs. West Virginia:
Keyonte George with one of the most impressive scoring performances of the year so far.
Dropped a career-high 32 to lead Baylor to a tough road win in West Virginia. @keyonte1george pic.twitter.com/WEWcCxGIxi— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) January 12, 2023
- Some of the biggest downsides to George's game lie in his consistency. Throughout his freshman year, he had spurts where he'd top 20 points for multiple consecutive games, then follow it with a streak of single-digit outputs. In the NCAA Tournament, for example, he shot just 3-of-19 from the field in two games, totaling just 16 points, before his Bears were eliminated by Creighton in the second round. He's also a bit clunky with the ball, posting a negative assist-to-turnover ratio (2.8:2.9) this year. He'll need to clean that up before an NBA team is willing to make him their primary offensive orchestrator.
- At just 6-foot-4, George doesn't have the same imposing frame as other guards in this draft class, which is why he likely won't be selected in the top 10. That frame is also the reason why some defenses will pick on him in the NBA. He needs to improve his own defense as well, as his on-ball guarding skills aren't necessarily anything to write home about.
Fit with Wizards:
George is a near-lock to be available for Washington at No. 8, but they'd be taking a swing to draft him over the likes of some more polished guard prospects like Anthony Black, Cason Wallace or Nick Smith Jr. However, the argument can be made that when it comes to pure scoring ability alone, George might have the most upside of any of those players.
If the player the Wizards really want to take with the 8th pick isn't available to them, trading back to the mid-teens and taking George wouldn't be a bad move. He has the potential to be a complete guard in the NBA if he were to shore up his turnovers and on-ball defense. Though his three-point shot needs work, and that's an area Washington wants to improve in 2023-24. He could slide into the Wizards' rotation and provide some immediate scoring relief behind their first unit in the backcourt.
George, ironically, actually has a lot of shades of Bradley Beal in his game. They both have the ability to create their own shot, can penetrate the lane, and can score at all three levels. Beal is just 29 and surely has a lot of basketball yet to play, but George could be the answer for Washington if they want some long-term shooting guard insurance behind the three-time All-Star.
It would also be intriguing to see how George plays alongside ball-dominant wings in the NBA. He was Baylor's primary ballhandler as a freshman, but he would need to take a backseat to Beal, Kyle Kuzma, and Deni Avdija if he were to land in D.C. He could be a bit more efficient with his spot-up shooting, but if he were to right that ship prior to his NBA debut, he'd be a fascinating off-ball facilitator.
