Kevin Durant Impressed by Utah Jazz G Keyonte George

Within the Utah Jazz's back-to-back rematch and win against the Houston Rockets, third-year guard Keyonte George turned out to piece together a statement bounce-back game compared to the brutal outing that was his zero-point, eight-turnover performance over the weekend.

In 37 minutes, George logged 28 points on 8-14 shooting from the field as the second-leading scorer for Utah behind Lauri Markkanen, combined with four rebounds and eight assists that helped the Jazz get over the hump for win number six against a tough Rockets squad, and continued his impressive year-three breakout from the first six weeks of the season.

Keyonte George tonight:

28 Points
8 Assists
4 Rebounds
8/14 FGM
37 Minutes pic.twitter.com/O6cu6KoRk8
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) Will Hardy Highlights Utah Jazzs Difference-Maker in Rockets Win

Kevin Durant Gives Props to Keyonte George

After the game, George's performance even managed to get some strong praise from Kevin Durant–– who credited the third-year guard for bouncing back like "a pro."

"Bounced back like a pro," Durant said of George, via Rocket Fuel. "That's what pros do– have a tough, tough night, and discard it, and get ready for the next game, and that's what he did."

"You've got to give him credit, as a young player, to come up here after one of his worst games and to turn it up and play like that. You’ve got to give him some credit."

George had perhaps one of his worst nights in the NBA just one night prior to the win against the Rockets on the second leg of their back-to-back, so to see the script flipped in such a major way is a testament to how he's able to reset and get back on track just over 24 hours later— a savvy, professional move that captures the attention of the greats like Durant.

In 20 games so far this year, George is second on the Jazz in scoring, averaging 22.8 points, paired with a career-high 6.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds; becoming Utah's clear floor general and someone that can mesh next to Markkanen's skillset effectively on the offensive end.

Dec 1, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) tries to hold Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) down while George goes to the basket during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images | Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

The impressive night against Houston another entry to a high-level season from the George that's cemented him as a key piece in the Jazz's backcourt for the foreseeable future, and a cornerstone of Utah's rebuilding efforts entirely.

Durant is seemingly among the many to have taken notice, especially after one of the bleaker games of George's young career thus far, which should be as good a sign as any for how the Jazz guard should continue to move going forward.

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