The honeymoon phase with Keyonte George and Utah Jazz fans may be over. The 2024 lottery pick who was once in the conversation to make the All-Rookie team has seen his numbers trend in the wrong direction for a good month now.
The question is, should Jazz fans be concerned?
It’s still too early to rush to judgment on a player who’s still getting adjusted to the NBA. Keep in mind that George just turned 20 years old this past November.
If George does break out after his first season as a Jazzman, he won't be the first. Let's take a look at three ex-Jazz players who had an uneven start to their careers but later emerged to All-Star status.
Deron Williams
Expectations were sky-high out of the gates for the No. 3 overall pick of the 2005 NBA draft, but it wasn't smooth sailing in his first year as a pro. Williams came off the bench in 32 games despite being the third pick. Incredibly, Keith McCloud started over Williams during the 2005-06 season.
When Williams did play, it was up and down. He averaged 10.8 points per game while shooting at a 42% clip. His points, assists, field goal percentage, and assist-turnover ratio were all lows during his tenure in Salt Lake City. George’s numbers overall look very similar, averaging 10.9 points and 4.4 assists per game.
After his first season, Williams steadily improved but still didn’t make his first All-Star game until Year 5. It would be his first of five appearances, highlighting a career that included a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics.
Gordon Hayward
Just like Williams, Jazz fans had lofty expectations for Hayward in his first year in Salt Lake City, but it wasn’t meant to be. Hayward only logged 16.9 minutes a game and started 17 contests.
Hayward averaged 5.4 points and 1.9 rebounds in his first year. Old-school Jazz fans may remember when Williams scolded Hayward during a home game against the Phoenix Suns for not running a play correctly. He looked lost and confused for much of his rookie season.
In Year 2, Hayward broke through and became an everyday starter who would ultimately have one of the best years ever recorded in a Jazz uniform. During the 2016-17 season, he averaged 21.9 points per game, leading the Jazz to a first-round playoff upset victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Hayward made his first and only All-Star game as a pro that season, but since then, it's been an uphill battle due to injuries. He’s still a solid player, averaging 14.5 points a game this season at 33 years of age.
John Stockton
Although he’s arguably Utah’s best player of all time, Stockton didn't see the court much in his early years. Stockton didn't even become an everyday starter until Year 4 and only averaged 18 minutes a game in his rookie season.
In fact, Ricky Green was Utah’s starting point guard from 1984-86, and at the time, Stockton was considered a role player coming off the bench. Also, he started his NBA career two years older than where George is today.
When Stockton finally found his groove, he never looked back. He finished his career playing in 10 All-Star games while leading Utah to its only two NBA Finals appearances. Stockton's all-time NBA assists and steals records may never be surpassed. To this day, nobody has been close.
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