The Utah Jazz signed Keyonte George to a $157.5 million contract extension, cementing his future with the team for the next five years. Coupling the No. 2 overall pick Darryn Peterson with George puts the Jazz in a strong position to rebuild alongside Lauri Markkanen and second-year forward Ace Bailey, who was selected fifth overall in the 2025 draft.
Ahead of the 2026-27 season, George spent considerable time with his Jazz teammates, traveling overseas, which played a significant part in his five-year extension, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
“During summer league, when I was out there, I was told there's going to be real discussions. And those, obviously, have gone well,” McMenamin said. “They've Keyonte George. They love the jump that he took last year. They love his character, his commitment, and his excitement about being in Utah. It's not a coincidence that he was out in Utah all summer long, with the exception of a trip to Finland with Jaren Jackson Jr., Will Hardy, and Ryan Smith to go visit Lauri Markkanen, who's playing with the national team.”
In his third season with the Jazz, George had a breakout year averaging a career-best in points (23.6), assists (6.1), and steals (1.1) per game in 2026-27.
Darryn Peterson gets props from Jazz's Keyonte George
After the Jazz selected Darryn Peterson with the second overall pick in this year's draft, he showed excitement over joining forces with Keyonte George. Peterson is looking forward to sharing the floor with George, he said, per ESPN's NBA Today.
Article Continues Below“I think just at how fast he picks up on things,” the newly-extended George told ESPN's “NBA Today” when asked what impresses him most about the 19-year-old's game. “Obviously, in this league, it's a split second. You make that mistake, it's over. I think for him, when we talk about different things, whether it's pick-and-roll, ISO spacing, or just even little things in our jump shots, he picks up on it right away.
“He's always willing to learn, so I think that's the main thing, coming in as a high pick and still humble enough to still want to learn.”
"[Darryn Peterson's] always willing to learn. I think that's the main thing, coming in as a high pick and still humble enough to still want to learn."
Jazz guard Keyonte George speaks on what impresses him about rookie Darryn Peterson 🏀 pic.twitter.com/HWqXaODECA
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 21, 2026
The Jazz will begin their preseason against the Nuggets on October 4.