After a rough, illness-affected outing on Sunday – when he went scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting with eight turnovers in 19 minutes – Keyonte George responded with a huge performance on Monday, putting up 28 points on 8-of-14 shooting along with eight assists and four rebounds in 37 minutes as the Jazz beat Houston.
The third-year guard is in the midst of a breakout year, averaging 22.5 points, 6.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds on .440/.325/.898 shooting through 19 games.
George told Marc J. Spears of Andscape that a frank postseason discussion with head coach Will Hardy helped shift his mindset and elevate his approach.
“Our relationship is on a whole other level now. My exit interview was brutal. Will shot it to me straight,” George said.
He added that Hardy keeps him accountable even in small moments: “Will calls me late at night and tells me little things like, ‘Play defense,’ and then he hangs up.”
Their communication has since grown, George explained: “We got to the realization where we have some great dialogue. He doesn’t like some stuff and I try to communicate what I was thinking and the group was thinking.”
As the team’s lead guard, George sees himself as Hardy’s voice on the floor: “With the position I’m playing, I’m a second him on the floor. He can’t play. So, I’m thinking for the group trying to execute what he wants every single possession.”
He summed up their progression simply: “Our relationship from my first year to now it’s completely different.”
Northwest Notes: Markkanen, K. George, A. Mitchell, Wolves https://t.co/5a45mh9sGz
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) December 2, 2025
