Wizards trade up to No. 24 to select UM freshman Kyshawn George in NBA Draft

Kyshawn George arrived from Switzerland to the University of Miami campus last summer as a little-known freshman with big hair and big upside. A year later, he is headed to the NBA as the No. 24 draft pick.

The Washington Wizards moved up two spots via a trade with the New York Knicks to select George, the 6-8 swingman and sharpshooter, who was among the players invited to be in the Green Room at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York, for the big occasion Wednesday night.

George wore an ivory-colored suit and light green silk shirt and was seen dribbling a basketball from his seat while he awaited his name to be called.

As he walked to the stage, a video played on ABC/ESPN with a scouting report that said: “Shooting ability. He can put the ball in the basket anywhere on the floor. He’s versatile. A very smart player. Knows how to read defense. Great guy in the locker room and out of the locker room. Very positive. Getting used to his new body.”

George grew from 5-10 to 6-8 in the past four years, and said he is still getting used to his new frame.

Asked on an ESPN interview what gives him the confidence to think he will make an impact in the NBA, George said: “Just the work I put in every single day. I worked hard to get here and I’m going to keep working to get better and make an impact as soon as possible.”

Later, at a news conference, he said his “versatility, shooting ability, and IQ” were ways he expected to contribute to the Wizards.

George was the first UM first-round pick since Lonnie Walker went No. 18 to the San Antonio Spurs in 2018. He was the sixth Hurricane drafted in the past six years, joining Davon Reed, Lonnie Walker, Bruce Brown, Isaiah Wong and Jordan Miller.

UM coach Jim Larranaga was at the Barclay’s Center to support George, along with two assistant coaches and school officials.

“I asked Kyshawn, `Do you think you’re ready for the NBA?’ And he said, `Yes.’ I asked him what he thought his strengths were. He told me exactly what the NBA scouts are telling him. He’s got a big upside with his offensive skills, and I said, `What would be your concerns, or areas you feel you need to pay attention to?’ He said the same things the NBA scouts have said.”

George will have to get stronger and play faster in the NBA. Larranaga said George could not do a single 185-pound bench press rep when he arrived on campus last spring. Now, he can do 12. And, he will be much stronger by the time training camp starts, Larranaga said.

George started just 16 games and averaged 7.6 points for the Hurricanes his freshman season, but the scouts took notice of his shooting ability (41 percent from three-point range) and his ability to read the game and make smart passes.

“The NBA has always been enamored with youth,” Larranaga said. “They focus much more on the one and dones than the senior class, and the numbers reflect that. So, when you look at Keyshawn’s upside at 6-8, a guard with three-point range, he’s going to get stronger and faster. He’s just scratching. His main development will be in the next year or two; and then in three years, you’ll say, `Man, this guy is really good.’’’

From the moment scouts saw him at UM practice, he passed the eye test. “They fell in love with him and would say to me, `Of all your guys, he’s got the best chance to play in the NBA’.’’ Larranaga added. “We obviously would have been happy if he had stayed for another year and developed in our program a little further, but it’s hard for a young man to turn down the NBA when there was that much interest.”

George was also popular with his teammates.

“If you asked our players who was their favorite player to play with, I think almost 100 percent would say, `I like playing with Kyshawn,’’’ Larranaga said. “He’s smart. He knows how to play. He’s got great skills. And he’s just going to get better and better.”

Before joining the Hurricanes, George played for Élan Chalon of the French Pro B League. He retained his amateur status because he wanted to play college basketball. George was born and raised in Monthey, Switzerland and won FIBA’s U16 Euro Championship B in 2019. His father, Deon, is from Canada and played basketball professionally in Switzerland, where he met Kyshawn’s mother, Sophie.