Q. Let's talk about growth and development for you in particular with this jump season, and what you've seen is the biggest thing you've been able to accomplish, especially since you got some international competition as well?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I mean, last week we talked about building habits, and I think being intentional with them, and I think I've put that to the test this off-season with being here in Washington and stacking days, two a days every day since the end of the week, and I think it showed a little bit during the AmeriCup to apply that to work on in the off-season and to be able to play like that.
Q. When we were in Las Vegas watching you in Summer League, we saw an increased amount of physicality to your game. Have you added any weight, any size to yourself, and is that going to be a foundational part going into this year?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I mean, I started to hang my hat on physical defense and being able to bump players out of their lines. Just making them feel uncomfortable, and I think physicality has a lot to do with that. I lift a lot of weights, put on four pounds of muscle mass during the summer, and yeah, that's the start of what I'm trying to build and the image I'm trying to build myself.
Q. In EuroBasket we saw some more on-ball scoring reps than we saw with you here in Washington. Is that something you're adding to your bag this year?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I'm just trying to be more aggressive in general, creating for myself and for my teammates. I know with my skill set I'm able to do that. I'm able to get in the paint and get scoring opportunities for myself and my teammates and trying to be more aggressive.
Q. Despite just being 21 years old, you're still older than half the roster. Do you still feel that or do you still feel pretty green to the NBA?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I feel kind of in between. I definitely don't feel old at all, just to make that clear. But I definitely have a lot more to learn. I would say on the younger side, sure.
Q. You mentioned being able to work on some certain things and then apply it at the AmeriCup. Outside of the on-the-court stuff, what did you learn about yourself as a player as you step into your second season?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I think I can hang myself on my habits and my consistency. It's a testament to myself, just being here in Washington, working in the off-season, doing two a days like I mentioned before, and it just shows that I'm ready to do this, and I've learned how consistent I can be.
Q. Last year with your defensive presence we saw you take really good strides. What's that next step for you on the defensive end that you want to be able to be known for in this season as you continue to evolve your game defensively?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I think doing it night in, night out, whoever I'm guarding, it has to be the same standard. A couple of fouls, like started fouling a lot at the beginning of last year. Just learning -- just continuing to learn in general and just making sure I take a step forward every time I step on the court.
Q. We all know you're a very competitive guy. What's your reaction to hearing Will and Coach Keith talk about how they're going to be more competition for rotation roles this season?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: It's fun. We have a young team, and I think that's what we're here for, to be able to compete at a high level in practice is only going to get us better, whether if I'm guarding Trent or making it tough on him or if he's making it tough on me on the offensive end is going to get me better.
I think that's how you grow as a team, as long as it's healthy and then with a mind knowing that we're all teammates at the end of the day. I think it's just going to be fun and healthy.
Q. What do you think will be key to you guys improving your efficiency as a team and specifically three-point shooting?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Just being able to, like I said, create easy shots. We know -- we shot a lot of corner threes in the league last season. Just being able to be aggressive, the guy with the ball, move the ball easy once we get an advantage and just get the ball to the open man.
Q. You had a very busy summer, I know, but when you came into the off-season, were there one or two things you really wanted to work on trying to improve? How did you do that in the lab with your schedule? Who was there with you? Where were you, all that sort of thing?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: So I noticed that in several opportunities I was getting in the paint last year and not necessarily knowing what to do when I get there, being indecisive. So I really worked on being more aggressive and that's creating shots for myself or easy ones for my teammate once I get in the paint.
So everything was working on getting in the paint, being aggressive with the ball in hand. I was working out here with the Wizards staff for most of the summer, since May. Yeah, I've been here working on that type of stuff.
Q. When did you break off for camp with FIBA?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: That was in August.
Q. It's hard once the season gets started because you've got games, but how do you plan to continue working on that during the season?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Just about doing professional work, not necessarily going out there and work out for an hour and 30 minutes, just being able to get in the gym, be really precise, really focused, be really intentional with every single rep and being able to get the reps in, maybe a lower volume but as intentional as possible.
Q. Building off that, was there someone you worked out with this summer, another player, coach, trainer, that really stood out to you?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Like I said, I've been working with most of the Wizards staff. We've been in as a group together coming back one-on-one against Bilal, against Alex, just being able to play against those guys in real competition just makes us better every day, so I would say these guys.
Q. What does a successful season look like for you this year?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Just for us to continue to build and see a major stride in that sense, be able to compete at a high level against every single team and to earn respect for every single time we play against.
Q. You said you worked on those two-a-days six days a week. Can you walk us through what the first workout would be and what the second one would be? Are they the same kinds of things that you do, or is it one more skewed towards defense, one more skewed towards offense?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I think they're pretty much similar. It's about getting the right amount of reps in, I think, for me. We're going to work on different type of stuff. We're going to have higher days and lower days, more shooting days, more movement days. We're going to try to get the heart rate up.
But I'd say getting more (indiscernible) off the court.
Q. Mentally coming into this training camp this season, what kinds of things are you going to carry from last year in terms of your confidence, your approach, your understanding after watching film of yourself last year and all the minutes that you've earned?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I think just my mental toughness, my competitiveness on the court, and just my confidence on what I did last year, what I was able to work on, and just being able to go out there and be a leader and show that I'm a leader. Not necessarily barking on the court and all that stuff, but making sure that I do the right things every time I'm on the court.
Q. What's the biggest challenge with that, not barking, because you're competitive and you want things done, I'm sure, but being a young player and having vets that you're going to be alongside, what is that key component and that easy mix that you can create in that dynamic?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: I mean, to me as long as you go at it and you do it in the basketball world, there's nothing wrong with that. There's no limits on how you can compete and how hard you can take somebody's minutes, whatever it is, as long as it's done smartly and in the basketball world. There's no problem there.
Q. So integrity?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: (Indiscernible).
Q. What stands out to you the most about Tre Johnson?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: His confidence, his shot-making ability. That's a common answer. But working out with him, just seeing how locked in he is. You see when he starts working out, he's warm and he's locked in from the start. Like there's no -- like that's all he thinks about every single day to the max. There's no taking it half a step. Every shot, every rep is gamelike and he's locked in every single minute on the work.
Q. I noticed you've been running around with a camera in your hand for a couple of days. Is there a broadcasting future I need to be aware of?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Maybe, who knows. I keep my doors open. I'm not going to guarantee it, I'm not going to say no. We're going to have to see.
Q. You and Bub obviously are proficient in the hair department. Who's got better a coif between the two of you?
KYSHAWN GEORGE: Me. This is two drop.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports