George ready for 'hometown' NBA debut as his Wizards play Raptors in Montreal

Kyshawn George was raised in Switzerland so he never expected he'd get to play an NBA game in front of a "hometown" crowd.

But because his Washington Wizards are starting the pre-season against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday in Montreal, where his dad was raised, he's getting that chance.

"I never thought about it," said George after a lengthy practice on Friday. "I didn't even know that it was a possibility that existed.

"But yeah, I'm blessed that I have the opportunity to do that."

His father Deon George was born and raised in Montreal but played professionally in the Swiss league, so Kyshawn -- pronounced kee-shawn -- was born in Aigle, Switzerland. The younger George went to high school in France and then played a year of U.S. college basketball for the Miami Hurricanes.

The six-foot-eight George averaged 7.6 points, three rebounds, 2.2 assists over 31 games for the Hurricanes last season. He started as a backup swingman but was promoted to a starter due to injuries.

Because Kyshawn's grandmother, aunts, and cousins all still live in Montreal, mainly in the west island neighbourhood of Côte-des-Neiges, he knows the city well. It also means that, although he's played for Switzerland's under-16 basketball team, he's been treated as a returning hero ahead of Sunday's pre-season game against the Raptors at Bell Centre.

He said that all the media attention hasn't been that weird because he doesn't know any better.

"I mean, it's my experience. It's my first time. I have nothing to base myself off of," he said in a phone interview. "I'm just super grateful to have this opportunity and I think it comes with it.

"Being an NBA player, you get great people around you and you have responsibilities too."

George was selected 24th overall by the New York Knicks in the NBA Draft this past summer.

However, he was immediately traded to Washington for the 26th and 51st overall picks in the same draft. He signed with the Wizards within the month.

He's part of a major rebuilding project in Washington. The Wizards also selected French centre Alexandre Sarr second overall and guard Carlton Carrington 14th in the 2024 draft.

"It's great, though, it's great," said George. "We have a great group of young guys who all care for each other, great coaching staff, and this is a great experience overall."

He added with a laugh: "Working a lot."

The biggest adjustment George has had to make so far hasn't actually been the physical or strategic side of the game, but instead improving his vocabulary.

"We all know that now I'm playing against grown men, but mostly the terminology," said George on the differences between playing in the NCAA versus the NBA. "The habits you need to get to be able to play at a high level.

"At the end of the day, it's just basketball. It's about getting the reps in."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2024.