March 5, 2026, 1:22 p.m. ET
PHILADELPHIA — When one looks at the Utah Jazz, one will see a struggling team that is looking to continue its rebuild. After a 106-102 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, the Jazz are now 18-44 on the season and have lost seven in a row.
However, there are inklings that the Jazz are going to be OK as they move forward into the future. Coach Will Hardy has that team playing hard every night and there are some solid young pieces including former Baylor star Keyonte George who has taken a big leap on the floor.
George had 30 points on Wednesday and knocked down five 3-pointers as it looked like he was going to lead the Jazz to an upset win. When Utah fell short, he shared a moment with Sixers star Tyrese Maxey as Philadelphia’s leader gave him some words of encouragement on the floor and then a shoutout after the Sixers earned the win.
“That’s one of the homies, man,” said Maxey. “He’s from Dallas, so I’m definitely gonna always support him and watch him. I think he was a freshman when I was a senior, so I think, I don’t know, I’m getting old but, yeah, he’s good. A great player.”
George is now averaging 24.0 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 37.6% from deep for a young Jazz team continuing to try and figure it out. There are some intriguing pieces in Utah led by George, rookie Ace Bailey, and sidelined veterans Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and Walker Kessler. They’re a team that could be sneaky good in 2026-27 and Maxey believes that George will be a big part of that.
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“I think he’s doing a great job,” Maxey finished. “Me and Trendon (Watford) actually, we talk about him a lot. We think he’s really good, and I think that he has a chance to lead that team.”