This forgotten Jazz youngster may be in for monster season

By the end of last season, the most exciting young players on the Utah Jazz were Kyle Filipowski and Brice Sensabaugh. By the start of this preseason, the Jazz's most exciting prospect was Ace Bailey. While that is still true, their exciting play has overshadowed that Keyonte George looks like he's primed for a breakout this season.

George has been forgotten among Jazz fans after his disappointing sophomore season, which was further marred by a report that he wasn't exactly the best teammate. However, a surprising story came out revealing that George orchestrated social activities with his teammates, demonstrating a desire to be more of a leader.

Hoping to be a better leader is one thing, but George has also had an amazing preseason. Utah has started him in every single game, which seems pretty indicative of his chances of becoming a starter again. He hasn't failed when Utah has asked him to do so.

George's scoring won't necessarily stand out - 14.3 points per game - but his efficiency will (51.2% overall from the field). However, George's all-around game has been what has stood out, as he's had games with near double-doubles either because of assists or rebounds to go with his scoring. He's also shown a lot more activity on the defensive end.

More than anything, he looks like he's gotten much better at picking his spots. He's still taking his ugly shots, but as long as they are going in, no one's going to complain.

If George takes the step the Jazz thought he would last season, he gives them another good reason to believe in what the team is building long-term. However, for as good as his performance has been overall, there's something else fans must keep in mind.

The only problem with George's preseason performance

As much as one hates to play devil's advocate during a time like this, Jazz fans must keep in mind that George looked pretty good during last preseason, too, which further fueled the narrative that he would take a step forward.

Narrator: He did not do that.

It played a role in why the Jazz's season was as disappointing as it was last year even when they didn't have high expectations to begin with. They say better late than never, so while Utah may have hoped George would become a better version of himself last year, making that evolution now is a giant step forward for their progression as a whole.

The real challenge remains the same: do it when it all truly counts.