NBA Awards

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Ryan Kostecka

It took Keyonte George precisely one game — the first game of the 2023-24 season — to believe he deserved to be in the league. His first NBA bucket came on an and-one, quickly followed by a deep three-pointer, showcasing his tantalizing offensive skillset. Altogether, George concluded his NBA debut with eight points, two rebounds, and two assists in 19 minutes.

"To be completely honest, I feel like I belong," he said that night. "For me, I think that confidence comes from the preparation. … I'm just super confident in my game. I just had a lot of fun out there. … It was a big-time blessing for me to appear in my first NBA game."

The confidence never wavered throughout George's rookie season, and for good reason. Announced on Monday afternoon, George was named to the NBA All-Rookie second team — becoming the second consecutive Jazzmen to be honored following Walker Kessler's first-team selection last year. 

"Phenomenal," was George's response when asked how his rookie season went. "Just taking it day by day. … The season didn't go too fast for me because I was just living in the moment. I feel like I took advantage of every day, whether it was a game day or off day. … It was a pretty long season. I like the baseline that I have for myself, I like the way that I competed day in and day out. … Now it's just about sharpening things up that I already know I'm good at."

Making the NBA All-Rookie First Team are Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City), Jamie Jaquez Jr. (Miami), Brandon Miller (Charlotte), Brandin Podziemski (Golden State), and Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio). Joining George on the second team are GG Jackson II (Memphis), Dereck Lively II (Dallas), Amen Thompson (Houston), and Cason Wallace (Oklahoma City).

After being selected with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft, it was widely hypothesized that Keyonte George — the second of Utah's three first-round picks — was the most likely to contribute immediately. Armed with a versatile skillset on offense, George's ability to put the ball in the hoop was considered the most pro-ready trait of the trio of picks.&nbsp;

"Keyonte has probably the most diversified offensive skillset, maybe in the draft," Jazz GM Justin Zanik said back in June. "Keyonte's been doing it for a long time at a very, very high level. … He has all the shots, shots that some people can't ever learn. He's worked on his body, he has confidence as a scorer. … We've got to work on where he fits into the team, but right now, he's already an offensive weapon."

Simply put, George lived up to the hype. He averaged 13.0 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.8 rebounds on a 40/33/85 shooting split in 27.0 minutes per game. He played in 75 games, making 44 starts. His 75 games played ranked third among all rookies, while his 44 games started ranked fifth.

He finished second among rookies in total assists (336) and assists per game (4.4 apg). He finished fourth in total points among rookies (974), sixth in points per game (13.0 ppg), and fifth in total minutes played (2,023). He also became the fourth rookie in Jazz history to total at least 825 points and 280 assists in a season. (Donovan Mitchell, Deron Williams, and Trey Burke).

George scored 30+ three times this season, the third-most among rookies — but what set him apart was his performance against Steph Curry and the Warriors on Feb. 15. In 41 minutes, George dropped a career-high 33 points, while adding six assists, three steals, and two rebounds. He also shot 9-of-16 from three, tying the NBA rookie record for most threes in a game.&nbsp;

"He has a really unique brain for a young player," head coach Will Hardy said of George. "I think that's where he's got a big advantage on everyone else because it's gonna, hopefully, accelerate his learning curve. Basketball is pattern recognition when it comes down to it on the offensive end, and the best players are the ones that know all the patterns and can recognize them quickly. … Keyonte has shown the ability to do some of that."

Heading into his first offseason, George knows plenty of work needs to be done. Rather than taking a broad approach to his game and working to be good at everything, he's showing maturity beyond his years by focusing on a few skills to become elite at them — a trait that Hardy believes will best serve his growth moving forward.&nbsp;

"Since day one, everybody wanted me to be in the best shape possible, so that's the main thing," he said. "As far as my skillset, you can always add moves and make your handles shaper. … I just want to get an elite-level handle and be consistent throughout the whole season. I want to be that guy where if you leave me open, you know it's good. The main thing for me this summer is just being in shape and getting stronger, and everything else will follow."

George hopes his offseason growth is just a part of something great the Jazz are building. When asked what sort of players he would like to play next to — or what type of player he hopes the Jazz draft — he remained steadfast in his belief in the players on the current roster.&nbsp;

"I feel like what we have right now is phenomenal pieces," he said. "The young core, the older guys that we have, we all got something we can bring to the table. … It's just about team camaraderie and coming together for the same common goal. Sacrificing something for the greater good of the team because when we win, everybody gonna eat. … It's about being able to sacrifice for however long it is to get to the greater goal."

"There's a lot of belief within our organization in Keyonte," Hardy added. "I think all of the guys on the team recognize Keyonte's ability. … I think everybody on the team has been really impressed with his maturity at his age, his understanding at his age. I think the team has received him well. … They've been very supportive of him."

confidence-comes-from-preparation-george-named-to-nba-all-rookie-second-team

“Confidence Comes From Preparation” — George Named to NBA All-Rookie Second Team

"Keyonte has probably the most diversified offensive skillset maybe in the draft," Jazz GM Justin Zanik said back in June. "Keyonte's been doing it for a long time at a very, very high level. … He has all the shots, shots that some people can't ever learn. He's worked on his body, he has confidence as a scorer. … We've got to work on where he fits into the team, but right now, he's already an offensive weapon."

George has lived up to the hype, going from the No. 16 pick in the draft to starting over half of his games this year. He's averaged 12.9 points, 4.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds on a 40/34/84 shooting split in 26.3 minutes per game. He's played in 64 games, making 33 starts (all stats as of March 24).

He ranks first among rookies in total assists (285) and second among all rookies in assists per contest (4.5 apg). He's fourth in total points among rookies in 2023-24 (825) and third in points per game after the All-Star break (17.3 ppg). He's tied for fourth in the entire NBA in clutch 3-point percentage (.467 — min. 15 attempts). He's also the fourth rookie in Jazz history to total at least 825 points and 280 assists in a season. (Donovan Mitchell, Deron Williams, and Trey Burke).

George has scored 30+ three times this season, the third-most among rookies — but what sets him apart was his performance against Steph Curry and the Warriors on Feb. 15. In 41 minutes, George dropped a career-high 33 points, while adding six assists, three steals, and two rebounds. He also shot 9-of-16 from three, tying the NBA rookie record for most threes in a game.&nbsp;

"He has a really unique brain for a young player," head coach Will Hardy said. "I think that's where he's got a big advantage on everyone else because it's gonna, hopefully, accelerate his learning curve. Basketball is pattern recognition when it comes down to it on the offensive end, and the best players are the ones that know all the patterns and can recognize them quickly. … Keyonte has shown the ability to do some of that."

Despite ending the season starting alongside his fellow rookies, George's career did not start that way following the draft.&nbsp;

With Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh recovering from injuries sustained before the draft, George was the lone rookie to go through Utah's summer league in Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. He rose to the occasion, averaging 15.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game through three games in Salt Lake City. He then broke out on the bigger stage, posting a double-double in his first game in Las Vegas en route to averaging 29.5 points and 8.5 assists in two games.&nbsp;

Unfortunately, his time was cut short when he suffered a sprained ankle during the second quarter in a showdown against Denver. Not only did he miss the rest of the contest, but he was also out for Utah's final two games. However, George had done enough before the injury to be named First-Team All-Summer League after his performances.

"I'm trying to shape myself into that true point guard," George said back then. "At the end of the day, I know I can score but getting my teammates involved. … Making it easier for them is making it easier for me. Just getting each other the ball, playing together, and having fun. … The game is slowing down for me, and I'm gaining a lot of confidence in my work."

While George shined throughout summer league, going head-to-head with his teammates during open runs was another beast. How would he perform with Kris Dunn — one of the best defenders in the league — guarding him? How would he finish at the rim with Walker Kessler, one of the league's best shot blockers, waiting for him at the rim? It didn't take long for word to spread that George was more than up to the task, fueling the hype train that had been building.

"There's a lot of belief within our organization in Keyonte," Hardy said. "I think all of the guys on the team recognize Keyonte's ability. … I think everybody on the team has been really impressed with his maturity at his age, his understanding at his age. I think the team has received him well. … They've been very supportive of him."

After starting the season coming off the bench but in the rotation and slowly seeing his minutes and role expanded, George got the first start of his NBA career on Nov. 8 against Indiana. Although the Jazz fell to the Pacers, it was a debut worthy of being proud of. He finished with seven points, nine assists (with just one turnover), and two rebounds in 31 minutes — all coming on his 20th birthday.&nbsp;

"Best birthday present you could ever ask for," George said that night. "I'm truly blessed and thankful that this staff and organization are willing to trust me this early in the season to go out and try to get guys organized and, you know, run a team. When he (Hardy) told me, I kind of had a big smile on my face. … I'm always talking about waiting my time, waiting for the opportunity, and it came."

George remained in the starting lineup for much of the season, only coming off the bench when he returned from injury. Since returning to full health, he's back as the starting point guard and continuing to make the most out of every opportunity on the court.&nbsp;

"To be completely honest, I feel like I belong," George said. "For me, I think that confidence comes from the preparation. … I'm just super confident in my game. I just had a lot of fun out there. It's a long season, and I know what we got. … I'm just going to continue to keep a smile on my face because, at the end of the day, it's just basketball."

"Keyonte is getting better and better," Hardy added. "We are encouraging him to be aggressive when looking for his own shot. He's got a ton of ability, he can shoot off the dribble, he can get into the paint, he's a good passer, he's got good feel. … I think he's trying to figure out that balance every single night."

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"Diversified Offensive Skillset" — Amidst a Breakout Rookie Season, Keyonte George is One of the Steals of the Draft

Nobody knew what to expect when Lauri Markkanen entered the 2022-23 season.&nbsp;

He had just dominated the EuroBasket competition for Finland, showing his ability to be a No. 1 scoring option on a successful team. But as he transitioned back to the NBA for the upcoming season, many assumed he would return to being what he was for the past five seasons — a solid role player.&nbsp;

Announced Friday evening, Markkanen has been chosen as one of three finalists for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award. He is joined by other nominees Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City) and Jalen Brunson (New York).

Simply put, Markkanen was among the brightest and best storylines in the NBA this season.&nbsp;

The sixth-year forward had a breakout season, being named to his first All-Star game and eventually chosen as a starter. He's also a prime candidate to be selected All-NBA after a record-breaking season that saw him become the first player in NBA history to have 200 threes and 100 dunks in a season.

As Utah's No. 1 option, he averaged career-highs in points (25.6), shot attempts (17.3), field goal percentage (49.9%), free throw percentage (87.5%), assists (1.9), and minutes (34.4).&nbsp;

He also averaged 8.6 rebounds per game, 39.2% from three, and 58.6% effective field goal percentage, all the second-most in his career.

"I think it's been my overall game coming together," Markkanen said. "Working on my overall game, working on where my spots are on the floor. … I've just been trying to bring everything together and just keep working on the overall package."

"Our team looks to Lauri," head coach Will Hardy added. "He's an NBA All-Star for a reason, and he's had a consistency about not only his play but his approach all season.&nbsp;I don't know what the ceiling is on Lauri. … I don't think any of us do, but I'm pretty sure we haven't seen it yet.”

However, Markkanen is not the only Jazzman potentially taking home some hardware this season.&nbsp;

Walker Kessler, Utah's beloved and talented rookie — and Markkanen's campaign manager — was announced as one of three finalists for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award. He is joined by Paolo Banchero (Orlando) and Jaylen Williams (Oklahoma City).

To say it was a whirlwind season for the center would be an understatement, as Kessler burst onto the scene as one of the top rookies in the league. There's no questioning his impact on both ends of the court, as he emerged as one of the best rim protectors in the game and is considered a near lock for the All-Rookie team.

He finished the year averaging 11.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in his 40 starts. He was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month for February, debuted at All-Star weekend that same month, and then dropped a career-high 31 points in late March.&nbsp;

He also became the first rookie in 25 years to record at least four games of 7+ blocks, trailing Tim Duncan's five times in 1998, and he became the first Jazz rookie ever to record a 30-point, 10-rebound game.

"I always had this belief in me, but I just wanted to learn,” Kessler said. "I went into this year trying to learn as much as I could so when I do get the opportunity, I can take advantage and try to help us win the game. I figured by doing that, the rest would take care of itself."

"Like all of the best defenders in the NBA, part of it is they have a reputation," Hardy added. "I think for sure the reputation that he has now is helpful. … He's really gotten the respect of the league, the officials, the players, in terms of being one of those premier shot blockers.”

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"Always Had This Belief" | Markkanen And Kessler Named Finalists For NBA Awards

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