Coming into this season, hopes were high for Kyshawn George.
The young player has thrived early in his career, despite a difficult situation around him. With stars Anthony Davis and Trae Young entering the fold, there was plenty of reason to be optimistic.
Even with those expectations, George rose above and beyond. He finished with 12 points and five assists in his preseason debut, fantastic numbers on paper. What showed on the floor was even more impressive, though, initiating offense for Washington, while also finding his own shot off-ball.
After an exciting start to the year, George has given the Wizards reason for optimism on offense.
George’s passing makes Washington’s offense dangerous
Last season, George was a key part of Washington’s offense, by serving as the most consistent passer of their young guards.
Most of the 22-year-old's buckets were self-initiated, but he also showed a willingness to spread the wealth. This was especially true on drives, where he often found cutting Wizards in the corner for three-point looks.
Based on the first preseason game, that same mentality will continue this season for the third-year player. However, during his debut, he flashed a new ability to thread the needle inside.
George had two assists come on plays he wouldn’t traditionally make: an alley-oop to big man Deandre Ayton in the first quarter and an outlet pass to AJ Dybansta in transition. Both plays showed the player increasing his influence on the offense, making passes for easy scores inside.
With these plays, George showcases a strength that Washington will desperately need to capitalize on this season. The Wizards ranked just 23rd in points in the paint in 2025, and are looking to bring a greater physicality to their offensive approach this season.
Young will certainly be a huge piece of that approach for Washington. But he’s coming off of a season where he missed 67 games due to injury. There will certainly be questions about the amount of load he’s able to take on, while keeping him healthy for a postseason push.
If George can help take some load off Young as a distributor, the team’s offense as a whole will benefit. The two can play staggered minutes, ensuring that the Wizards have an efficient playmaker on the floor at all times.
Through a step up by the Wizards’ young guard as a passer, they can unlock a new strength on offense, essential to their long-term success.
Off-ball, George can help Washington thrive
The improved passing of the Wizards’ young guard could make him a great fit on offense this year. To reach his full potential, though, Washington needs him to improve in another area: his activity without the ball.
As mentioned earlier, most of George’s buckets last season were self-created; generally, it was him looking to beat a defender off the dribble, or pull up over them. This is great in theory given his talents as a scorer. But it can create stagnant offense and decrease touches for others.
With the addition of two of the best scorers in the NBA (Young and Davis) into the mix, it seemed obvious George would have to improve as an off-ball scorer. And in his preseason debut, he showed serious flashes of improvement in that area.
Just like he did as a passer, George showed his proficiency off-ball in a variety of ways.
On one possession halfway through the first quarter, he bullied the smaller Jalen Brunson for positioning inside, and scored easily. On another possession in the middle of the third, he caught a Bilal Coulibaly pass for a catch-and-shoot three.
It’s still likely that George’s easiest baskets will come when he has the ball in his hands; that’s his strength. If he can improve without the ball, however, he’ll add a key dimension to a talented Wizards lineup, and become an essential piece on the floor.
With George’s skill set becoming more diverse, Washington can hope to be a more diverse offense, helping them reach new heights as a team.
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