Kyshawn George, a player for the Washington Wizards, was the life of the party in the visitors’ locker room at Scotiabank Arena, grooving to Sexyy Red’s “Get It Sexyy” which was blasting from a nearby speaker. Despite his modest performance on Saturday night with five points, six rebounds, and three assists, his team managed to secure a 118-117 victory against the Toronto Raptors – just their 13th win for the season.

George, who was selected 24th overall by the New York Knicks in the NBA Draft this past summer, was immediately traded to Washington. His contribution to the team’s win over the Raptors marked the third instance this season where the Wizards managed back-to-back victories. George perceives this as a testament to the consistency required to string together wins in the NBA.

“Even though our record doesn’t reflect it, we’re working on building habits that will pave the way for future success,” George mentioned while seated in front of his locker.

He became one of five rookies on the Wizards’ roster as the team forges ahead with a rebuilding season. Entering Saturday’s game in Toronto, George had an average of 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists over 26.9 minutes per game. He has been a starter in 26 of his 56 games during his rookie season.

George credits much of his learning to the team’s head coach, Brian Keefe. According to George, the discipline and habits built daily are crucial, regardless of whether the team wins or loses, or even how he personally performs in any given game. “You have to return the next day and continue working the right way,” he stated.

George’s game in Toronto felt somewhat like a homecoming. His father, Deon George, was born and raised in Montreal and played professionally in the Swiss league, leading to Kyshawn’s birth in Aigle, Switzerland. While most of his family resides in Montreal, one uncle based in Toronto came to watch him play.

“It was great to see the enthusiastic crowd,” said George, who is fluent in both English and French. “It’s wonderful to see that Canada has a thriving basketball culture.”

Even though George has represented Switzerland’s under-16 national team, he expressed hope that he could one day play for Canada. As for now, he and the Wizards are preparing for their next match against the Raptors on Monday.

This article was first published by The Canadian Press on March 8, 2025.