Ready for Year Two

MIAMI – There was summer league, sure. And even a handful of preseason games.

But when the time came for Kyshawn George to truly start his NBA career, the rookie forward found himself on the court against none other than the defending champion Boston Celtics.

Things didn’t get much easier after that, not when George and his Washington Wizards hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers two days later.

Still, though he was thrown into the competitive fire pretty quickly, George was upbeat.

“We started playing Boston and the next game was Cleveland, so basically the best teams in the East,” George said with a smile. “It was kind of fun that first game to play against the best team in the league.”

On Sunday, the former Hurricane standout found himself back in Miami to close out his first season in the NBA – a season that ended a bit differently than it started.

That first game against the Celtics was a loss. That last game against the Heat was a win.

And in between, George says, there was plenty of learning and growing.

The rookie – one of four first-year players on the Wizards roster this season – appeared in 68 games, averaging 26.5 minutes, 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the process.

There were challenges, like tough losses and an ankle injury that sidelined him for a bit.

There were positives, though, too.

In a March win over the Detroit Pistons, George became the fastest Wizards rookie to connect on 100 3-pointers, needing just 59 games to reach that mark. That surpassed Bradley Beal’s effort during the 2012-13 season when he needed 60 games to reach that threshold.

George also set another Wizards rookie record this season, making at least one 3-pointer in 31 straight games.

But it wasn’t just his sharp shooting that made an impression.

“He’s grown tremendously. He always had a good feel for the game, which we liked. Size, vision, but it’s his defense that has really improved tremendously. The last month and a half, he’s been able to guard multiple positions,” Wizards head coach Brian Keefe said of George in March. “We’ve always loved his playmaking. We’re putting the ball in his hands more and I think he has a bright future.

“The amount of work and time that he puts in, it’s really a credit to him. He’s been that way since we drafted him from day one, really studious with his craft and his game.”

For his part, George credits his time at Miami with helping prepare him for his NBA journey.

A native of Monthey, Switzerland, George used his time in Coral Gables to adjust to the American game.

He appeared in 30 games during his lone season as a Hurricane, starting 13. Twelve times, he scored in double digits. And he was the only ACC freshman to average at least seven points and three rebounds per game while playing less than 25 minutes.

All of that, combined with his international experience and 6-foot-8 frame, helped make him a first-round NBA draft pick last June.

“Just being able to see the American game and work on my personal skills, I think [Miami] did a great job of having people around me that pushed me to get better,” George said. “They just gave me the opportunity to showcase what I could do.”

Among those who helped ease George’s transition at Miami was former Hurricanes coach Jim Larrañaga, who stepped down in December after 13-plus seasons leading the program.

While playing for Larrañaga, George says he earned the coach’s trust and that made a huge impact on his development.

“For me, the biggest thing I took from him was that with great freedom comes great responsibility,” George said. “He will not cut you down or yell at you too much, but he expects a lot. It looks free, like you can do whatever you want on the court, but you know you have to be responsible for what you do and do it the right way.”

The coach and his pupil had a chance to reconnect in March when the Wizards made their first visit of the season to Miami.

That trip – a bit longer than this most recent one – gave George the opportunity to return to campus and spend time not just with Larrañaga, but his other former coaches and some of his former Miami teammates, too.

“That was really cool, to be able to come back and see them and see how they were doing, and it just circled the loop a little bit,” George said. “When you’re in school, you see the NBA guys coming back and hanging out as NBA guys. Now, being able to do the same was pretty cool. … I had a good time with them and told them to stay diligent and focus on their work.”

With his first season in the NBA now behind him, George is ready to see what challenges await him next.

And he says he’s excited to continue to see his game grow and do his part to help a young Wizards team continue improving.

“We have a super great group of young guys with a couple of vets that balance it out a little bit. Everybody has their own stuff,” George said. “Malcolm [Brogdon] on the court and off the court with his point guard skills. Anthony Gill with his community work off the court. Jordan Poole, obviously. There’s a lot of different things you can pick up on from all of these guys. … I want to be able to keep developing, fine-tuning details and get better at everything I do.”