Raptors Select Potential Do-It-All Wing Out of Miami

Kyshawn George is still figuring out his body.

Just a few years ago, he was a 5-foot-8 point guard playing basketball in France. Had he stayed that size or thereabouts, nobody would have considered him an NBA prospect.

But George has had the kind of growthspurt most prospects could only dream of.

He measured 6-foot-7 at the NBA draft combine earlier this week and looks like a prospect with the potential to be a do-it-all forward at the next level. He shot 40.8% from three-point range as a freshman at Miami and has retained some of those on-ball skills he developed growing up.

“I was able to show NBA teams that I’m a versatile player who could impact the game on both sides of the floor and a good teammate,” he told ESPN last month. “I’m still adapting to my new body, and we are just getting a little taste of what I could do in the future. I have a whole lot more I could show and do.”

That’s what makes George a fascinating prospect and someone the Toronto Raptors may want to consider taking at No. 19, where he’s slotted to go in FanNation’s latest mock draft.

George is still raw as a prospect and will need some time developing in the G League next season. He shot just 42.6% from the floor this past year while averaging 7.6 points, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 turnovers per game on a Hurricanes team that went 15-17. He’s not big enough to score through contact in the paint and his usage rate for Miami was very low for most of the season.

But the upside is very real.

The 20-year-old Swiss wing has a chance to be an ideal pairing beside Scottie Barnes as someone who can shoot and playmake a little for a Raptors team looking to add more high-upside players. George’s defense will have to improve as he continues to get accustomed to his new size, but Toronto should have some time to let George grow.

Considering where Toronto is in its developmental cycle, taking a chance on a player like George may not be such a bad idea. His numbers weren’t particularly impressive at Miami, but considering his size and theoretical potential, there’s certainly enough to be intrigued by.