George’s Career-Best 34 Points Spark Wizards as Washington Stays Committed to Long-Term Plan
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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Second-year forward Kyshawn George poured in a career-high 34 points on 11-of-15 shooting, adding 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks in the Washington Wizards’ Friday victory over the Dallas Mavericks. After the game, George said he intends to make performances like that routine. “You get to create what the Wizards are going to be for the future, and I think there’s no better space to be as a player than that,” he told the Washington Post. “I’m just looking forward to stacking those days to just get better.”
Veteran guard CJ McCollum endorsed the 21-year-old’s potential. “He’s the total package,” McCollum told The Athletic. “A three-level scorer. Obviously, you see the handle, you see the defensive pressure.”
Bench lifts Washington
Washington’s reserves combined for 47 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists. Rookie guard Tre Johnson led the unit with 17 points. “Our bench came in and really changed the game,” head coach Brian Keefe said. “We ended up playing 11 guys, and everybody had a contribution. We were able to establish physicality against a pretty veteran, big team from the get-go. Even though we didn’t make shots at the beginning, we stuck with the game plan and trusted what we were doing.”
Johnson focused on defense
Questions about Johnson’s defense followed him out of Texas, but the first-year guard said he expects that aspect of his game to grow. “People who have seen me play know that I can defend,” he told EssentiallySports.com. “I’ve never really been the one to get picked out too much. So it’s really about being solid on defense. Maybe I’ll try to be more active in steals. That’s the only place where defense shows on the stat sheet.”
Search for a cornerstone
The Athletic’s Josh Robbins noted that uncovering a future All-NBA talent remains the central goal in Washington’s rebuild. Team evaluators will spend this season determining whether that player is already on the roster or will arrive via the 2026 draft. Despite expected losses, the organization plans to stay the course.
Source: Hoops Rumors
