Keyonte George wants the Rookie of the Year award but he has to start for the Utah Jazz first

Keyonte George has big hopes for his rookie year with the Utah Jazz.

The Utah Jazz have a big opportunity this year to make some noise in a Western Conference that isn’t as loaded as it used to be. Teams like the Dalla Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers (and Clippers) have big names, but shallow teams. Other teams like the Memphis Grizzlies are lacking some big pieces to begin the year. The Jazz can make some headway in this Western Conference as constructed.

It’s just going to require certain guys to step up. One of those guys is rookie Keyonte George who is coming into the season looking to contend for the starting point guard spot. A spot that’s essentially been vacated since the Jazz traded Mike Conley last season. George will compete with the likes of Kris Dunn, last year’s replacement for Conley, Collin Sexton, and others.

George, however, has a high chance of earning the starting job, especially if his Summer League performances were anything to judge him by. George seems to know this, and has a lot of faith in his talents, going as far as to say that he wants to win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award.

Telling the media at the Jazz’ media day this week (via Salt Lake City Hoops);

"I want to be rookie of the year. I’m young and you can say I haven’t done anything in this league yet, but I think day in and day out, I’m putting in the work you know, already locked in, A lot of people dream about being in the seat and not a lot of people get to do it. Of course, you put this goal on the wall or whatever, but a lot of times it doesn’t come true. So, it’s just a credit to my circle and everybody that’s pushed me to get here. (I want to) try to be the best version of myself."

George wants to be the NBA’s Rookie of the Year and we want the Jazz to have the Rookie of the Year on the team. But George isn’t winning the award if he doesn’t start. Dunn and Sexton are viable options for this team, both with different attributes that make them worthy successors to Conley.

George has talent, but his impressive outings came against the bottom of the NBA’s rosters and fellow rookies; many of whom won’t get a second contract. His outing isn’t impressive in that regard. He may be the next coming of John Stockton or Chris Paul, but it’s even more likely that he will go the route of Johnny Flynn or Brandon Jennings.

Until we see George play serious minutes against serious talents, is impossible to say for sure that George is the guy. We should all hope he is, rooting for someone’s downfall is a gross exercise, but until George earns the starting gig, no one should really expect him to be a Rookie of the Year. candidate.