Baylor Basketball fans rejoiced during last week’s NBA Draft where an immensely talented former Baylor freshman was selected to become a professional player. In the 2023 NBA Draft, G Keyonte George was picked in the first round as 16th overall by the Utah Jazz. According to Baylor Athletics’ Jerry Hill (papa), “BU has had 12 NBA Draft picks in the Drew era – Ekpe Udoh (No. 6 in 2010), Perry Jones III (No. 28 in 2012), Quincy Acy (No. 37 in 2012), Quincy Miller (No. 38 in 2012), Pierre Jackson (No. 42 in 2014), Cory Jefferson (No. 60 in 2014), Taurean Prince (No. 12 in 2016), Davion Mitchell (No. 9 in 2021), Jared Butler (No. 40 in 2021), Jeremy Sochan (No. 9 in 2022), Kendall Brown (No. 48 in 2022) and George (No. 16 in 2023). In his one season in the green and gold, George averaged 15.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 29 minutes per game.
Coming out of high school, George was ranked No. 3 in the country—making him Baylor’s highest ranked recruit in program history. George was named Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was picked as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection. George was Baylor’s second consecutive Preseason Big 12 Freshman of the Year, making the Bears “just the third program in Big 12 history to have back-to-back winners,” Hill wrote. The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District team was chosen by NCAA Division I NABC coaches and George was showered with honors from the group. George followed his preseason accolade by being named Big 12 Freshman of the Year—the Bears’ first winner since Quincy Miller in 2012—and he earned spots on the Second Team, All-Freshman Team and All-Newcomer Team. Papa Jerry Hill stated that “George holds the program record for most 20-point games by a freshman (12)!” His play easily made him an addition to the NABC All-District Second Team.
