Kyshawn George is a name the basketball enthusiasts haven’t paid much attention to before but it has now shone in the current mock draft. George is projected to be the 24th pick and might go to the New York Knicks via the Mavericks. Hence, today let us take a look at the player who scripted his destiny with his own hands since he began as a player in Switzerland but soon grew in reputation to be considered a major star by the USA. This is the story of determination and hard work combined.

Kyshawn George’s early years

Much to the surprise of everyone, George’s father Deon was born in Canada and chose to ply his trade in Switzerland where George was born. George came into the world on 20th December 2003 and grew up to be an exceptional player. Taking lessons from his father’s career, George got a chance to play in the Swiss U16 championship in 2016. Therefore, even in his early years, he displayed a knack for playing the sport. 

After closely analyzing his game, George moved to France to represent the club Élan Chalon. He also stepped up his game and got a chance to play for the U18 and U21 teams. Therefore, George proved that he was as skilled as his father. During the 2021-22 season, George averaged 11.1 points per contest and 2 rebounds per game, which he later improved upon.

For the 2022-23 season, George had an impeccable average of 17.6 points per game with 6.5 rebounds per match. Other than that he also performed exceptionally well in defense as he had 2.4 steals per contest. Furthermore, he established himself as a second-fiddle supporting with 3.8 assists per game.

He was also named as the first team in All-U21 Espoir Pro B where he averaged 2.9 points per game in the limited opportunities he got. However, he rose to prominence last year when he played for the Miami Hurricanes in college.

Kyshawn George’s college years

George appeared in 31 games for the Hurricanes and played for an average of 23 minutes per game. He throttled 7.6 points per match with 3 rebounds per contest and 2.2 assists per game. He also had a field goal percentage of 42.6% and a free throw percentage of 77.8%. As for three-pointers, George potted 40.8% of three-pointers. Therefore, he was extremely effective as a shooter.

Some of his exceptional performances include that against Wake Forest when his team lost in overtime by a narrow margin of 82-86. He showed his resilience and declined to accept defeat. He basketed an astonishing 21 points in the game and had 8 rebounds. Thus, he proved his mettle both as an offensive and defensive player. 

Next, he also smashed 16 points against the Virginia Tech Hokies. Due to his exemplary display, the Hurricane won the game by a margin of 82-74. In this game, George showed tremendous potential in shooting and had a cent percent three-pointer percentage, all of which came during crucial moments in the game.

He again showed his potential against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets when he smoked 16 points. Actually, George was not chosen as a starting five player but with the growing injuries in the camp, he became a mainstay almost mid-season. And he justified his rise in the team with brilliant performances. A notable thing against Georgia Tech was that George supported with 6 assists. Hence, he showed that he could also be a connector between layups and play the role of a second fiddle with ease. His NBA combine draft only presented a solid case for his being drafted.

Kyshawn George NBA Combine draft

Even in the NBA combine draft, George had a max vertical leap of 32 inches. His standing vertical leap was also acknowledged by many as he had a reach of 27 inches. He is also extremely quick in his shuttle run reaching the point in 2.91 seconds. Therefore, his stats in the Combine Draft only increased his chances of making it to the NBA 2024.

But where George falters is his innate ability to score. He is not really quick at creating open spaces for himself and shooting. His shooting percentage is good but that comes at the cost of being a bit slower. These issues can trouble George as he gets drafted into the NBA. And the teams too will keep an eye on him and see that his issues do not come to the surface lest he might have to sit out for most of the season even if he gets drafted. But hopefully, George will be able to cover them up with his impressive ability to not hold the ball for long and pass it as soon as he finds an open teammate. 

George stands at 6 feet 8 inches tall and has a wingspan of 6 feet 10 inches which is another concern for the developing player. Nonetheless, all he can do is hope for the best and with time will get accustomed to American basketball and improve as he moves up in the ranks in the league.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.