The Washington Wizards have encountered a number of poor performances up to this point of the season and although the rebuilding team hasn't exactly been expected to be contending for a playoff spot, regression is the last thing the fanbase hoped to see.
Up to this point, the fanbase has been forced to watch their team drop game after game, which has been accompanied by sophomore slumps and sophomore leaps.
While the slumps have added to the frustration of a trying season, the leaps from emerging stars Alex Sarre and Kyshawn George have been the lone encouraging signs for the Wizards.
Sarr has emerged as one of the most dynamic big men in the league this season, taking a major step forward in year two of his development.
Nonetheless, as a former No. 2 overall pick, Sarr's development is more of a relief than a bright spot, at least in terms of the fact the French product is finally looking to be worthy of the investment Washington placed on him selecting him as high as they did in the 2024 NBA Draft,
Meanwhile, for George who was selected in the back half of the first round in 2024, the Miami product's huge season has been an extremely encouraging sign, especially considering his rise has given the team a versatile wing they can move forward with in the rebuild.
Averaging 15.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists, while shooting 47.9% from field goal range and 43.7% from beyond the arc, George is in the midst of a career-year.
Proving to be not only a consistent scorer when aggressive, but a dynamic playmaker with his underrated passing ability, the forward has looked to be a major steal for the Wizards so far this season.
However, the keyword above when talking about his success is "aggressive."
Washington's coaching staff has encouraged George to be aggressive throughout his sophomore season and he's proven that when he's looking to make something happen when the ball is in his hands, often times good things happen.
Nonetheless, in the team's recent loss, George did exactly what the team has asked him not to do, which helped result in one of the team's worst losses of the year, falling to the struggling Indiana Pacers 119-86.
In the loss, George ended the game with 5 points, 4 rebounds and three assists, while only attempting six total shots on the night.
George has to understand that he's now a focal point of the offense and when the team's playing at their best, it''s when he's being aggressive on that side of the floor.
Moving forward, the former ACC standout has to make it a priority to be aggressive when he has the ball in his hands.