The Washington Wizards may have dropped their sixth straight game on Saturday, but their 121-115 loss to the defending champion Denver Nuggets felt different - and for all the right reasons. This one had signs of growth, and at the center of it was second-year wing Kyshawn George, who continues to emerge as one of the most intriguing young players in the league.
George put together a stat line that turned heads: 29 points on 10-of-20 shooting, including 5-of-8 from deep, to go along with five rebounds, seven assists, three blocks, a steal, and just one turnover in 32 minutes. That’s not just a good night - that’s a statement.
According to team records, no one in Wizards history has ever posted that exact stat line in a single game. And when you consider the company he’s now keeping - joining Victor Wembanyama as the only players 22 or younger this season to record at least 25 points, five boards, three blocks, and five threes in a game - it’s clear George is doing more than just filling a role.
He’s building a résumé.
This isn’t a one-off performance either. George has now logged three career games with at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists - including a 28-7-7 outing in a win over Memphis back in December.
His production this season paints the picture of a young player who’s not only contributing but doing so across the board: 15.4 points per game on 46.8% shooting (including a sharp 40.1% from three), 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, a steal, and nearly a block per night. He’s averaging over 31 minutes per game, and his player efficiency rating (PER) sits at 13.7 - just shy of the league average of 15, but still good enough to rank him in the top quarter of the league among over 500 players who’ve logged minutes this season.
Among 2024 draftees, he’s top-10 in PER.
Not bad for the 24th overall pick.
George’s rise is quietly becoming one of the best stories of Washington’s rebuild. While much of the spotlight has been on the franchise’s headline-grabbing moves - like flipping Bradley Beal’s supermax into Trae Young - the acquisition of George is a masterclass in maximizing value from less-celebrated assets.
Let’s rewind for a second. Daniel Gafford, a second-round pick in 2019, was brought in by the previous Wizards front office in 2021.
By the time Will Dawkins and Michael Winger took over in May 2023, the new regime made it clear they were going young and building from the ground up. Gafford, a solid rotational big, didn’t fit that timeline.
So in February 2024, Washington sent him to Dallas in exchange for Richaun Holmes and the Thunder’s 2024 first-round pick.
That pick turned into Kyshawn George - though not directly. On draft night, the Knicks selected George at No. 24, but the Wizards acquired him in a trade that sent the No. 26 pick (Dillon Jones) and the No. 51 pick to New York.
The Knicks then flipped Jones to OKC for five future second-rounders. Meanwhile, George ended up in D.C., where he’s now looking like a foundational piece.
The early return on that trade is looking like a win for the Wizards. Gafford is putting up respectable numbers for the Mavericks - 7.8 points on 62.9% shooting with 6.5 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes per game - but George’s upside is on a different level. Dillon Jones, for his part, is currently with the Portland Trail Blazers’ G League affiliate.
Credit the Wizards’ front office for seeing the potential and having the patience to develop it. Not every swing is going to connect, but this one looks like a clean hit. George is tracking toward a likely spot in the Rising Stars Challenge, and more importantly, he’s playing like someone who could be a long-term starter - or more - for a team trying to build something sustainable.
Of course, the next step for Washington is landing a true franchise cornerstone. Trae Young is a big name, but his long-term fit with the team remains uncertain. If the Wizards can pair George and their young core with a blue-chip prospect in this summer’s draft, they’ll be in position to make serious noise by the end of the decade.
Killa Kyshawn George 29/5/7/1s/3b on 50% FG vs Denver pic.twitter.com/UggyrJgPzi
— riley ｼ (@rileyr_) January 18, 2026
For now, the focus remains on development and growth. And with Kyshawn George continuing to flash this kind of two-way potential, Wizards fans have every reason to feel optimistic - even in the middle of a losing streak.
Next up: a home matchup against the Clippers on Monday night. Another chance for George to show the league what he’s becoming.