Jan 1, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) dribbles up court during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Keyonte George Shares Thoughts on Jazz's NBA Draft Lottery

Originally posted on Utah Jazz on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated May 1, 2025 6:00 PM ET

For the Utah Jazz, this offseason could very well be defined by how their results pan out in the NBA Draft Lottery right around the corner.

After a turbulent 17-win season got stamped in the books by the Jazz this regular season, it's placed them atop the totem pole in terms of the best odds in the lottery later this May, and could be the bump they need to land a huge pickup in this year's number one overall pick. Needless to say, it's a massive moment for the future of this franchise.

Come May 12th's official reveal, Jazz fans all around will have eyes locked in on how this draft lottery will inevitably pan out, but the same could be said for a few players on Utah's roster as well.

One member on the Jazz roster who will be locked into the results of this year's lottery will be Keyonte George, who shared a bit of his thoughts on the summer draft class during his end-of-season presser.

"I was focused last year. I'm going to be focused all the time, just because you always want to know who you're going to play with," George said. "I mean, obviously, we don't know what pick we're going to get, but I would love to know when we pick him, no matter who we get. But, I've got a lot of guys in this draft that I know. I mean, Tre [Johnson], VJ [Edgecombe]. I went to NBA Top 100 with Dylan [Harper]. All of them. So, I'm excited to see this draft."

George, just like anyone else, is a fan of the game, and with the lottery comes one of the more exciting moments throughout the NBA offseason, especially when your team is in the running with high stakes like Utah has invested.

George tends to come with a bit of a different approach to this year's lottery than what his teammate Lauri Markkanen shared during his respective presser, instead, dishing that he won't be paying much attention since he'll be stationed in Finland working out with the national team ahead of FIBA play, and he'll "wake up" to see how things transpire in the morning.

To each their own. Regardless, the stage is set for the Jazz to undergo perhaps the most important lottery in their franchise's history right around the corner.

If the ping-pong balls fall in their favor, Utah could have the kickstart necessary to accelerate this rebuild in a big way. Yet, with a 47.9% chance to secure the number five pick, there's also a chance that disaster could ensue for the Jazz. Time will tell if they luck their way into their first number-one pick in franchise history.

The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery will take place on Thursday, May 12th in Chicago at 6 PM MT.

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This article first appeared on Utah Jazz on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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