Kyshawn George’s extraordinary development spurt over the last five years may land him with the Toronto Raptors as a first-round pick at No. 19.
Kyshawn George is a bit of an outlier.
His freshman stats were unremarkable. He averaged 7.6 points per game, shot 42.6% from the field, and had a slightly positive assist-to-turnover ratio. Compared to others in this year’s class, those are rather standard figures.
But what makes George unique is his narrative and the upside of a guy who has grown nine inches in the last five years, significantly altering his NBA potential.
George has a rare ability to combine wing size with guard abilities honed while growing up as a point guard. He can shoot threes well, and with little refining, George has the potential to develop into a top talent.
For a team like the Toronto Raptors, who are still a few years away from seriously competing for an NBA championship, a possibility like George may be too good to pass up at No. 19.
“Last season, the Raptors were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA.
The group watched as Gradey. Dick struggled in the early half of his rookie season before emerging as a contributor late, and George may follow a similar path next season.
George provides a somewhat solid floor as a prospect who shot 40.8% from three-point range last year and measured 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan at the combine. Prospects like that usually go high in the first round, especially freshmen, but George remains a mystery and the type of guy who could fall to the second half of the first round.
Toronto may choose a safer prospect than George if the franchise is truly motivated to compete next year.
