2023 NBA Mock Draft 6.0: Mavs’ $750K fine pays off
118. . G // Baylor. Utah Jazz. Keyonte George. 11. player
Utah might have something in Talen Horton-Tucker and it’s unwise to discount Collin Sexton. That said, Utah’s backcourt is firmly in a transitional phase as the team tries to navigate its rebuild around Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. Baylor’s Keyonte George, one of the most exhilarating freshmen in college basketball, is the pick.
It was not a perfect season for George. He shot below 38 percent from the field and caution is always warranted with 6-foot-4 (or under) scoring guards who don’t profile as lead ball-handlers. George feels like a swing prospect — the kind of player who is either going to vastly outperform his draft position or never quite live up to it.
The Jazz should be willing to take the gamble. Despite his unsavory efficiency numbers, George’s shot-making is hard to deny. He’s a talented manipulator, using hesitations and sudden shifts in momentum to keep his defender off balance. He can punish the defense with nifty touch shots and pull-ups, or he can put his head down and get to the rim, where regularly embraces contact. He’s not a point guard by trade, but George frequently locates open teammates on the move and there’s reason to believe his playmaking can progress over time.
He’s also a competitive defender who works to carry his weight on both sides of the ball. George doesn’t have elite measurements, but he’s built strong and he really digs in at the point of attack. It’s not hard to imagine a rapidly blossoming two-man game between George and Markkanen, with Kessler hanging around the rim as a vertical threat.