Keyonte George Is Forcing the Jazz Forward - Whether They Planned to or Not
When Keyonte George started flashing signs of a leap earlier this season, the natural question was whether it was real or just a hot streak. Well, with the calendar winding down, we’ve got our answer - and it’s loud and clear.
This isn’t a tease. It’s a breakout.
And it’s changing the trajectory of the Utah Jazz in real time.
George hasn’t just improved - he’s elevated. His performance has been so impactful that the idea of the Jazz tanking, even if some fans were quietly hoping for it, is quickly becoming a non-starter. He’s simply too good to let that happen.
The NBA recently dropped a stat that puts George’s rise in perspective - and it’s not just eye-catching, it’s All-Star caliber. The 22-year-old guard poured in 37 points in an overtime win against the Dallas Mavericks - his second straight game with 37 or more.
That’s not just a hot hand. That’s a young player taking over games.
Let’s be clear: Lauri Markkanen playing at an All-Star level is great, but it’s not exactly shocking. We’ve seen him do it before.
The real surprise - and the real story - is George. If he were still the player we saw last season, the Jazz might be flirting with the bottom of the standings again, even with Markkanen doing his thing.
But George has flipped the script.
That win over Dallas? Utah’s young core showed flashes, but George was the engine.
Without him, it’s not even a contest. He finished with 37 points on 11-of-20 shooting, along with six assists - a stat line that screams “franchise cornerstone.”
And that’s exactly what he’s becoming. There’s no longer any debate: George is a foundational piece for the Jazz.
Which means the franchise’s smartest play now is to lean into his development. Trying to suppress a 22-year-old with this kind of upside in the name of lottery odds would be a mistake - and potentially a costly one in terms of his growth.
So no, the Jazz aren’t tanking. They said as much this past summer, and George is making sure they stick to it.
Fans who were hoping for another high pick might not love that, but you don’t mess with momentum like this. You don’t slow down a player who’s clearly accelerating toward stardom.
Now, the question shifts: how good can this team actually be?
Some Jazz fans are understandably torn. If Utah keeps winning, there’s a real chance they’ll send their pick to Oklahoma City - a tough pill to swallow for a team still building. And after living in the NBA’s dreaded “middle ground” during the early Markkanen years, there’s a fear of getting stuck again - not bad enough for a top pick, not good enough to contend.
But this feels different. George has been improving steadily, and the one area that held him back - his shooting - is now trending up.
That’s a big deal. Because if he sustains this level of play, the playoffs aren’t just possible - they’re within reach.
This isn’t just about one player either. Taylor Hendricks and Keyonte George are growing together.
Brice Sensabaugh is showing flashes. And barring any setbacks, Walker Kessler will be back next season to anchor the defense.
There’s a foundation forming in Utah - and it’s not built on lottery dreams. It’s built on real, tangible progress.
Sure, the ideal scenario would be to keep winning and still land a lottery gem. But even if that doesn’t happen, George’s emergence changes everything. He’s not just playing well - he’s giving this franchise a reason to believe again.
The Jazz may not be title contenders yet, but with George taking this leap, they’re no longer directionless. They’ve got a star in the making - and a future that suddenly looks a lot brighter.