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aithan George wouldn’t even look at the rim. George recalls, as a sixth grader, receiving a pass from a teammate and instantly feeling anxious. To calm his nerves, he passed.
The initial fear evolved into a love for seeing teammates succeed. It eventually developed his mastery in dishing the rock.
“Facilitating has been in my game since I touched a basketball,” George said.
After leading the Atlantic Coast Conference with 6.5 assists per game last season, George is the conductor of the orchestra for Syracuse in head coach Adrian Autry’s make-or-break third year. The point guard will pull the strings in SU’s offense, which features an entirely revamped squad with star duo J.J. Starling and Donnie Freeman at the forefront.
Better yet, George is the maestro of the symphony, having already established himself among the country’s elite passers in his sophomore campaign at Georgia Tech. His next act is helping the Orange break a four-year NCAA Tournament drought.
“I’m a floor general because of the way I control the game,” George said. “Coaches said to me throughout my upbringing to manipulate the game, make the game yours.”
A floor general. George defines the term as someone who could be picked up full court by the opponent’s top defender and still keep their composure. It’s what he saw in point guards like Chris Paul and fellow Canadian Steve Nash, whom George bases his game on.
He adds his personal flavor by creating looks for everyone on the floor. His uncle Mike George, an NBA agent, said he’s always had the innate ability — no pun intended — for a pass-first playstyle. George celebrates a pass just as much as a bucket. It’s part of what made him an attractive piece for the Orange’s offseason plans.
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Autry described Syracuse as “all in” on George once he unexpectedly hit the transfer portal. SU general manager Alex Kline categorized its approach as a “full-court press.” The Orange’s entire coaching staff, plus Starling and Freeman, called, FaceTimed and talked over Zoom with George. Conversations focused on the program’s existing pieces and potential new additions. Autry and Co. were well aware that Syracuse ranked 228th in the country with a 49.9% assist rate, per KenPom.
George could be at the center of a fresh operation.
He enjoyed the Orange’s daily consistency in speaking with him and his parents. Mike said George sported offers from schools like Oklahoma, Louisville and Stanford, among others, before he whittled down his options to North Carolina and Syracuse. He revealed both sides were “competitive” financially. Kline said there was never a moment Syracuse had to back out due to the price being too high. In the end, SU’s pitch sealed the deal.
“They explained to him, ‘You can help make this program get back to where it’s been,’” Mike said. “And being where he’s from, seeing what Tyler Ennis did years ago, he knew the history of the program. And he knew, in his heart, this place can be pretty special.”
Still, George’s comfort with Syracuse’s staff wasn’t built overnight. Mike knew Autry from when he represented Ennis, a fellow Canadian. Autry was Ennis’ main recruiter. Then came the location factor.
The point guard estimates that his eight siblings have seen only a handful of his college games. His father, Anthony George, built a routine of packing a minivan and driving 18 hours from Toronto to Atlanta. Anthony said they’d rent Airbnbs so they could have large dinners with homemade meals. The plan was necessary but unsustainable.
Early in his high school career back in Ontario, George went out for Bishop Reding’s Junior basketball team. Out of 100 students trying out, head coach Michael Campovari said it took just 12. George cracked the roster, but came off the bench in Canada’s equivalent to the junior varsity level. As the season went on, George regularly found his way into the starting lineup.
“He had this quick step to him, which allowed him to see the court with the type of vision he had,” Campovari said. “It was always there.”
Looking to upgrade his game, George moved across North America to Arizona with Mike. Though he sacrificed his immediate family, they all knew it was best for his basketball aspirations.
George wanted a more competitive environment. His uncle provided that by running Arizona Unity, an elite youth program on the Nike EYBL circuit. Arizona Unity’s assistant program director, Corey Boswell, said when George entered the organization, he was more of a scorer. Entering the summer before his senior year, Boswell saw his passing ability grow.
That same summer, he was thrown straight into the fire at Peach Jam — the premier youth basketball tournament. He matched up against top players in the country, like Jeremiah Fears and Tre Johnson — the No. 6 and No. 7 picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, respectively. Though in Boswell’s eyes, his breakout affair was a matchup versus the future No. 2 overall pick, Dylan Harper.
George, virtually unknown at the time, led a team of two and three stars against Harper’s NY Rens squad. Boswell said George matched up well with Harper, putting his name on the map.
Naithan George moved from Ontario to Arizona in pursuit of developing his game. With Arizona Unity, George gained enough exposure to earn an offer from Georgia Tech. Courtesy of Anthony George
George had his fair share of options when he entered the transfer portal. It was a far different process than his high school recruitment just a few years ago. Despite strong showings on a big stage, George was still overlooked by top programs.
Anthony said he believes many college coaches misunderstood whether George was in the 2023 or 2024 class. Mike thought schools were looking for more of a “flashy scoring guard” rather than one who “impacts winning.” With his future in the balance, George was unsure of what was next.
“I really didn’t know where I was going to go in my senior year,” George said. “It’s an anxiety you get, but I kept my head down and kept working.”
He received interest late in his senior year from Seattle University, but Mike said it didn’t feel like a good fit. Then Mike worked his magic to get him the right opportunity.
George’s uncle originally asked Georgia Tech head coach Damon Stoudamire to look at his tape as a favor. The former Toronto Raptors point guard liked what he saw, telling Mike his nephew “could play.” But Mike already knew that. He just needed someone else to believe it, too.
In July, after graduating from Canyon International Academy, George earned an offer from the Yellow Jackets. He enrolled at GT just over a month later.
The true freshman didn’t touch the court in Georgia Tech’s first three games. The trend continued until midway through its fourth game, when Stoudamire inserted George into the lineup amid a blowout loss to Cincinnati. Against the Bearcats, George impressed enough to earn more minutes and the trust of Stoudamire, per former Yellow Jackets guard Kyle Sturdivant. The next game, George earned his first start. He never left the starting lineup again.
Sturdivant described George’s freshman development as patience with impatience. He said George’s underrecruitment built a hunger used in-game. The advancements continued into his sophomore year.
George was a key piece of GT’s 2023-24 team, but he became the focal point the following year. He increased his scoring averages by 2.5 points per game. But it was his true point guard skillset that took over contests.
Elite distributors balance physical talents with pure basketball IQ. Former GT forward Luke O’Brien said George constantly pored through film of its opposition to find opportunities to break defenses. A man-to-man defense would result in backdoor cuts. A zone allowed George to find lob passes through the heart of the defense. But with George’s studying, O’Brien also saw a true instinctual feel. It’s just part of what led to George ranking 11th in the country with 221 assists.
“At times, nothing would happen, but somehow, he always figured out how to make a play out of nothing,” said Javian McCollum, George’s backcourt partner at Georgia Tech. “The offense was built around (George).”
Naithan George attempts a jump shot for Georgia Tech. George starred for the Yellow Jackets for two seasons before transferring to the Orange. Courtesy of GT Athletics
Georgia Tech was the only Power Four opportunity for George. Anthony said George wasn’t sure where he would go in the portal, but one thing was for certain — he needed to leave Atlanta.
“He was happy there, but he wasn’t happy,” Anthony said.
The change of scenery illuminated a perfect match elsewhere. Syracuse forward Nate Kingz detailed George as fast and unselfish, two traits he thinks can elevate the entire roster. Freeman said the point guard has already made things easier for him. Cincinnati transfer Tyler Betsey pointed to George as one of the reasons he joined the Orange.
Syracuse assistant coach Brenden Straughn views George as an extension of the coaching staff. Most importantly, he’s everything SU’s head coach desired in a point guard.
“He plays the position. You don’t have to teach him the position,” Autry said. “He’s proven at this level.”
Entering his junior campaign, George no longer avoids the rim like he did years ago. The court is his stage. The basketball is his instrument. And as Syracuse hopes to alter its program’s course, George will keep it in rhythm.
Photograph by Leonardo Eriman | Photo Editor
Published on October 30, 2025 at 12:00 am