Kyshawn George, right, stands out on the floor but also in front of the microphones.
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He has a taste for risk. On Saturday, Kyshawn George was on the stage with the other Washington Wizards rookies, Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington. You can listen to what the three men said, but if we had to summarize it for you, it was a concert of banalities. The only moment sprinkled with originality came from the Chablais native, who was asked what we didn’t already know about him. “I’m Swiss and I can cook. I like it,” he replied before detailing the secrets of his bagels, with onions, cheese, an egg and bacon. Appetizing.
The revelation is risky because in the NBA, there is a tradition that says that rookies must bring donuts to the veterans of the team, especially during travels. So if the “old guys” of the group learn the cooking skills of the Valaisan, it is a safe bet that the young Kyshawn, at the height of his 20 years, will be somewhat hazed. “I am comfortable, I do not read a script in front of the journalists. I say who I am, what I live, he explained to us Sunday, with a smile. I hope that I will not have to make too many bagels, because that could be a lot with the number of guys on the team.”
A short night
Since Wednesday night, Kyshawn George is officially an NBA player. After a long process between interviews and training with the franchises, he savored it before quickly coming down from his cloud. “I was very happy with the evening but I quickly had to land,” he admits. Selected in 24th position, the Montheysan was drafted at 10:46 p.m. American time. And until 1:30 a.m., he multiplied the interviews. “With my family, we had a cocktail in a bar that was organized by my agency, but in reality, everyone was k.-o. So we only spent 30 minutes before going back to sleep at the hotel. Because the next morning, we already had to leave.”
Four or five hours of sleep later, Kyshawn George was on the plane to Washington. And upon his arrival on the soil of the American capital, the program was packed: welcoming the leaders, guard of honor of dozens of fans, tour of the facilities, photo shoots, press conference, camp with young people and match of the women’s team. “I was only able to take a few shots Saturday night and Sunday morning,” continues the kid trained at BBC Monthey, who has not yet met his other teammates.
Apartment and car
The serious stuff will start in a few days, on July 5, and the start of the collective preparation with the Wizards for the “Summer League” in Las Vegas – from the 12th. “My mother is with me, my father and my brother returned to Switzerland after the draft but they will come back then,” says Kyshawn George, who is currently sleeping in a hotel. The plan is to find an apartment before leaving for Vegas.”
It’s the first thing he plans to buy with his salary, estimated at a total of $5.8 million over the first two years – the next two are at the discretion of his franchise. “I’ll also have to buy a car, once I get my license,” he emphasizes, lucidly. “At first, I think the money will go quickly, because in addition to the apartment and the car, I’ll also have to pay my taxes and my agent. I don’t think I’ll do anything crazy, except maybe travel later.”
Before that, there’s the beginning of his NBA journey. And it’s only just beginning.
