The Washington Wizards are a team on the rise and based off what we've seen lately, it's hard to deny that they're heading in the right direction.
President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger and Wizards' general manager Will Dawkins' have combined to make strategic moves behind the scenes that have not only allowed Washington to assemble one of the best young cores around the league, but find hidden gems even when the odds stacked against them.
One of those hidden gems in specific is rising star Kyshawn George, who's in the midst of a monster sophomore campaign, averaging 15.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists with efficient shooting splits of 44.8% from field goal range and 38.8% from beyond the arc.
The Miami product has emerged as a leader in Washington after quietly proving to be one of the best prospects in the entirety of the 2024 NBA Draft class that many labeled as the weakest group in recent memory.
George's rise has been fun to watch and arguably the most exciting part about his second-year leap is the increased confidence the 22-year-old has displayed in head coach Brian Keefe's system.
With the ball in his hands often, the team's belief of his ability to be a dynamic playmaker is clear and part of that is exactly why the overwhelming outlook of the Wizards as of late has been Washington will be a force to be reckoned with sooner rather than later.
In fact, George believes that and with Washington's recent success over the team's recent stretch, the versatile forward issued a bold claim that could be considered a warning shot to the league.
Kyshawn George just put the league on notice
In a recent interview, George didn't mince words when talking about the direction the Wizards are heading in:
"I think everybody can start seeing it, we're playing better as a team.," George said. "We're starting to find how to win... It's just a matter of time before everything shows up and we're about to be there"
Washington sits at the bottom of the NBA standings with an 11-34 record and while that's certainly nothing to celebrate (unless you're a fan rooting for No. 1 overall pick), there have been plenty of flashes that should have fans excited about the direction the team is heading in.
George believes the team is knocking at the door of making a run in the East and it's hard to argue that when new addition Trae Young gets back on the court that the Wizards will only be one step closer to proving that claim true.