
While a throwback performance sparked a love affair with a veteran, it was one of the Utah Jazz's young players who had a career night on Friday.
Jazz point guard Keyonte George led the way as Utah edged out the Memphis Grizzlies 130-126 for only their ninth win of the season.
George, 22, scored 39 points in 34 minutes, connecting on 12-of-20 shots from the field and sinking five three-pointers. He also added six rebounds, eight assists and even two steals to complete his dominance.
And George's big game actually marked some history for the Jazz franchise. He became the first Jazz player to record those numbers since Basketball Hall of Famer Adrian Dantley did it in 1981.
CAREER NIGHT FOR KEYONTE GEORGE!
— NBA (@NBA) December 13, 2025
39 PTS (career-high)
6 REB
8 AST
2 STL
5 3PM
Jazz get the win on the road! pic.twitter.com/GslaQ7GoLf
George can now say he's accomplished something a legendary scorer like Karl Malone and a more recent sniper in Donovan Mitchell were unable to achieve during their tenures in Utah.
George's 39 points gave him his fourth game with over 30 points so far this season. He also got close two other times in December, putting up 29 at Brooklyn on Dec. 4 and 28 a few days earlier at the open of the month against the Houston Rockets.
George's scoring average will now skyrocket after holding an average of 22.2 points per game before he took the court.
In addition to having the best offensive season of his career to date in total points, George has been efficient as well, with shooting percentages of 43.6% from the field and 32.9% from long range.
It definitely appears that the always rebuilding Jazz are starting to see the full potential of George, whom they drafted with the 16th overall selection in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Baylor.
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!