Swiss Kyshawn George makes a strong impression in the NBA

Valaisan Kyshawn George had a difficult start in the most prestigious basketball league and missed numerous award-winning shots. While he is gradually regaining skill (12 points last night against the Spurs), his coach, but also superstars like Stephen Curry or Draymond Green say they are impressed by the Swiss.

Niklas Helbling

NBA legends like Kobe Bryant and Klay Thompson played by the motto: “Shooters gonna shoot.” Thompson, who recently played for the Dallas Mavericks, once said while wearing a Warriors jersey: “I don’t care if I miss 100 shots in a row, I’ll never stop shooting.” Because precisely, “shooters must shoot”.

Kyshawn George plays by this same motto. The Swiss rookie, selected by Washington in 24th position, got off to a very bad start to his NBA career, despite particularly solid preparation. A former university student with a reputation as an excellent shooter, he missed his first ten three-point shots attempted in the best league in the world. It was only on his eleventh attempt that he finally scored. Even a meter behind the line at 7m23, the 20-year-old from Valais converted his shot without the ball touching the hoop. Swish!

But the curse was not completely broken. After five games, George was only 2/22 from three-point range. He made only a quarter of all his shots and averaged just 5.2 points per game. He also missed his first seven shots in his sixth game, but he continued to believe in his abilities, and it paid off.

After a first half without a single point, Kyshawn George scored 20 units on November 5 against the Warriors, and became the first rookie to reach this mark this season in the NBA. George certainly couldn’t prevent the Wizards from losing, but he earned the respect of opposing stars. Stephen Curry, best shooter in NBA history, was particularly enthusiastic: “He started weak, but kept shooting. This mentality cannot be learned.”

The young Swiss also impressed Draymond Green, also a four-time NBA champion. George allegedly provoked him with a few words during the meeting and told him: “You can’t take shots.” Green, renowned for being a bully due to several unsportsmanlike acts, himself a legendary trashtalker, was captivated by the attitude of the Valaisan. “I’m a big fan of Kyshawn and Bub Carrington (another Wizards rookie). They deserve my respect,” he said.

But if Kyshawn George did not allow himself to be destabilized by his bad start, it is not only thanks to his mentality. His teammates and coaches also have something to do with it. “We told him to keep shooting. He’s a great shooter. We didn’t want him to leave the game with a 0/6 three-pointer,” confessed head coach Brian Keefe after the match against the Warriors. So he allegedly told her: “If the shot is open, take it.” That’s what he did. The 2m03 player, who according to tests should still grow taller, himself reported: “They have confidence in me and my shooting. Today, the shoots were successful and that made me feel good.”

But for George, this grandiose second-half performance was just the start of a good run. Over his last five games, he averaged 14.4 points per game and was close to 40% three-point shooting. The Swiss also gave a glimpse of his potential in defense. But in the eyes of his coach, Kyshawn George’s strength lies above all in his basketball IQ: “He showed his sense of the game from the start. Now he’s in a good rhythm and he’s making his shots, but above all it’s his playing intelligence that helps the team.

Unfortunately, his contribution has not yet turned into success. Out of the first ten games of the season, Washington has only won two, but that’s not a problem for the franchise at the moment. The team is extremely young and is built for the future. In addition to the 20-year-old from Valais, whose father Deon played professionally in Switzerland and France, two other rookies have played a leading role since the start of the season: Alex Sarr, 2nd choice in the draft, and Bub Carrington, 14th. choice. Bilal Coulibaly, 20, joined the NBA last season. He benefits from even more playing time.

This is how George said recently: “It’s not nice to lose. But you have to see things as a whole.” In this regard, the Wizards are on the right track, because they have proven that they never give up, even when they are significantly behind. Kyshawn George is proof of this, who caught fire in the second half against the Warriors.