Kyshawn George started the regular season not only just as he expected, but as the fanbase hoped he could on opening night.
Despite the loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, the second-year man looked like the emerging star that the coaching staff has raved about since returning to the team during training camp.
Following his strong offseason with impressive stints in Summer League and FIBA EuroBasket play with Team Canada, the hype train surrounding George officially left the station and continued to gain steam as the season approached.
In 32 minutes of play against the Bucks, not only did George look the part of a focal piece on offense, but he carried the heavy weight of taking on the defensive matchup against former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
George finished with 21 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while shooting 7/15 from field goal range and 3/6 from beyond the arc, while adding on two blocks and a steal on the defensive end.
The 21-year-old showed the exact flashes that Washington hoped he could in game one and considering the request from the coaching staff for George to take on leadership role and be more aggressive on the court, it's clear the team believes that the versatile wing has the ability to develop into more than a role player in D.C.
So far, George has passed the eye test and he has the chance to continue building momentum on his pivotal season against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.
While Friday's matchup may not seem important for the Miami product, it could be a huige opportunity for him to prove his success in the opener wasn't a fluke.
For a player poised for a breakout year, one strong performance means absolutely nothing in an 82-gaame season.
However, if George is able to back up his strong debut with another solid performance against the Mavs, it'll all but prove his opening night performance wasn't just a fluke.
Washington showed in the second-half against the Bucks that they could be much better than what the preseason projections expect them to be.
Head coach Brian Keefe has an abundance of talent at his disposal and his revamped depth chart gives the Wizards the opportunity to prove a lot of people wrong.
George in specific, has the chance to prove people wrong on his own, especially if he shows up and shows out against the Mavs on Friday night.