The Washington Wizards have assembled one of the more intriguing young cores in the NBA, and much of the attention naturally falls on players like AJ Dybantsa and Alex Sarr.
But Kyshawn George is beginning to generate some serious buzz of his own.
In a recent episode of The Dirty Bucket, Sergio Eduardo, made a bold prediction about George’s NBA ceiling — including the possibility that he could eventually become an All-Star.
“I think Kyshawn George has All-Star potential… I would state that Alex Sarr has higher upside than Kyshawn George. But if you were to ask me who has the higher probability to be an All-Star, I think I’ll say Kyshawn, to be honest… I think Kyshawn’s like a less athletic J-Dub from OKC. But let me go one further. I see Kyshawn being Nicolas Batum meeting Franz Wagner… Is Kyshawn George’s ceiling possibly a little bit more athletic Franz Wagner? Is that his ceiling? Could he be Franz? Franz Wagner is an All-Star-type caliber player.”
Those are lofty comparisons, but George’s development has given Wizards fans plenty of reasons to be excited about his future.
After averaging 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists as a rookie, George increased those numbers to 14.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists last season. His three-point shooting also jumped from 32.2 percent as a rookie to 38.1 percent.
During a recent appearance on Locked On Wizards, Wizards on SI’s Henry Brown argued that Washington’s suddenly crowded offense could actually force George into a smaller role despite his expanding skill set.
“I think Kyshawn is going to have to be like the guy with the big-boy pants here. If anyone’s going to be losing a lot, it’s going to be him because he is, to me, extremely overqualified to be this fifth starting three-and-D, play-finishing guy. We know he can create and we know he can be the ball handler and all this stuff.”
Brown even offered his own bold prediction: George could finish the season second or third on the Wizards in minutes per game.
That versatility may ultimately be what makes George so valuable to Washington.
With Dybantsa, Sarr, Trae Young and Anthony Davis all demanding significant roles, George may not always put up the numbers expected from a future All-Star candidate. But at 6-foot-8, his combination of shooting, defense and playmaking gives Washington something it can use in almost any lineup.
Whether George eventually reaches an All-Star level remains to be seen.
But after his significant jump last season, the conversation surrounding his ceiling is clearly changing — and some people who follow the Wizards closely believe there could be much more to come.
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