Jazz Rookie Keyonte George Cleared For All On-Court Activities

Aug 15, 2023, 3:36 PM

Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) grabs a rebound and looks down court (Credit: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

(Credit: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz have cleared rookie guard Keyonte George to resume all on-court activities after spraining his right ankle.

George was injured in the Jazz’s Las Vegas Summer League game against the Denver Nuggets in early July.

From the @utahjazz:

Keyonte George (right ankle sprain) has been cleared to resume all on court activities. #TakeNote | @kslsports

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) August 15, 2023

The guard left the game with six points, three rebounds, and two assists in 10 first-half minutes.

George had averaged 21.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and six assists while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 38 percent from three in five appearances before his injury.

🤘 our Saturday vibes 🤘#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/RYN6BH7KyJ

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) July 22, 2023

About Keyonte George

Despite being listed at 6-foot-4 and 185 lbs, George has one of the better frames among first-year guards projected to be selected in the lottery.

Though he’s not an elite athlete, George has excellent body control and navigates the court with the ball in his hands, getting to his spots where he excels as a scorer, averaging 15.3 points per game.

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The guard is an adept scorer with the ball in his hands showing strong handles and an ability to get to his spots on the floor and in rhythm. He has a chance to be one of the more prolific scorers from this draft as he matures, and his game already resembles that of some of the league’s best perimeter players.

While consistency remains an issue, George scored 20 or more in 12 of his 33 appearances at Baylor. He knocked down multiple three-pointers in 66 percent of his games.

George had more games (13) in which he hit three or more three-pointers than he did one or fewer (11).

George’s 4.2 rebounds are a strong number, and 79 percent free-throw shooting on 4.5 attempts per game.

Defensively, the freshman’s frame and strong balance made him a steady defender. As he ages, it wouldn’t be an enormous surprise if he became a very capable defender at the NBA level.

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Chandler Holt is a co-host for the Jazz Notes podcast and a Digital Sports Producer for sports.ksl.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.