To say Paul George has underwhelmed versus expectations since landing with the Philadelphia 76ers would be an understatement.
Originally landing in the City of Brotherly Love on a four-year max contract following an All-Star-caliber run with the Los Angeles Clippers, George has appeared in just 51 games through December 15 and has put up some of the worst numbers of his career, averaging just 16.4 points, 4.1 assists, and 5.2 rebounds per game over just 31.3 minutes of action a night.
Is PG-13 washed? In his opinion, the answer is a resounding no, and in an interview with Ky Carlin of Sixerswire, he broke down how he used that as motivation to really get back on track in 2025.
“I mean, prior to coming here, I was coming off one of my most efficient seasons. All-Star that year. I didn't see myself being washed that fast, but I knew,” George said. “I knew that this league is about what you can do now, and they tend to forget everything that I have done. So, it was a bit of motivation going into the summer to just get healthy and kind of let everything else take care of itself.”
So far in 2025-26, George actually has seen his number spike a bit as he works back from injury, with his points per game going up by .9, his shooting percentage going up by .12, and his 3-point shooting percentage climbing from 35.8 to 43.3 despite averaging 6.3 fewer minutes per game. He's moved well despite having an arthroscopic procedure on his knee before the season, and has showcased his defensive versatility alongside younger stars like Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Dominick Barlow. If he can maintain or even build on those numbers into the future, it's safe to assume George will have his haters silenced in no time.
