Age: 24
Years Pro: 5
Status: Has three more years (and an option for a fourth) remaining on extension signed before 2013-14 season.
Key Stats: Appeared in final six games of year, averaging 8.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 15.2 minutes per game.
Paul George is ahead of schedule.
When the two-time All-Star fractured his right tibia and fibula at the USA Basketball Showcase on Aug. 1, Pacers fans prepared for the worst. Even when it became clear that the injury wasn't career-threatening, there was no real expectation for George to play this season. Head coach Frank Vogel made that abundantly clear as he politely dealt with the predictable onslaught of inquiries about George's status over the next several months.
All the while, George tackled his rehab with a quiet diligence. He made a conscious effort to stay involved with the team. He was visible at almost every practice or shootaround over the course of the year and travelled on most road trips. He was shooting jumpers before the start of the season, dunking before the All-Star break, and began practicing with the team on Feb. 26.
PHOTO GALLERY: Paul George's 2014-15 Season »
As George's recovery progressed, the expectations seemed to shift. The media began to speculate about potential dates when he might return to the court. Both George and Pacers President Larry Bird spoke publicly about the possibility of PG-13 premiering earlier than anticipated.
Still, the organization took a cautious approach with their franchise cornerstone, holding him out of game action for over a month after he returned to practice to make sure his rhythm and conditioning got to the point where all parties involved were comfortable with him taking the floor.
George eventually made his season debut on April 5 against Miami and appeared in the final six games of the Pacers' season. And all things considered, he looked pretty good.
#WelcomeBackPG: Relive PG's Journey Back to the Court »
Despite being limited to roughly 15 minutes per game off the bench, George scored in double figures in four of his first five appearances. All those jump shots after practice seemed to pay off, as he knocked down 9-of-22 attempts from 3-point range, a higher percentage (.409) in an admittedly tiny sample size than his averages for any of his four previous professional seasons. He ignited the crowd with a couple uncontested dunks in the final home game of the regular season and nearly threw down a third on a putback in traffic.
Though he wasn't guarding the opposing team's best perimeter player, George moved well laterally and showed glimpses of the player who was named to the NBA's All-Defensive First Team in 2014. He also responded well to contact, taking a couple shots to his right leg in the April 8 win in New York and appearing no worse for the wear.
Was he playing at an All-NBA level? Of course not. Even one of the best players in the world is bound to show some rust after missing nearly eight months.
Most noticeably, George didn't create his own shot with as much success as he has in the past, making just 9-of-27 shots from inside the 3-point arc. He strained his left calf in the season finale in Memphis on April 15, but he noted the next morning that his surgically-repaired right leg, which he jokingly dubbed his "good leg," was "feeling fine."
George's 2014-15 season became an unequivocal and resounding success. Getting back onto the court this year will only give him confidence as George, who doesn't turn 25 until May 2, prepares for next season.
"I have a long ways to go, but being out there put in perspective what I need to work on this summer," George said.
The 2015-16 season will be a big measuring stick for both George and the Pacers. Ever the competitor, George will be eager to prove that he is once again one of the best two-way players in the entire league. As for the franchise, Bird gave a blunt answer to a question at his end-of-year press conference about whether Indiana could get back to competing for a championship next season.
"It depends on Paul George," Bird replied.
One thing we do know is that George will put in plenty of hours in the gym over the summer as he continues with his rehab. When asked his plans for the offseason, George was quick to say that "the summer is where I hang my hat on." His relentless work ethic in June, July, and August is what enabled him to become the NBA's Most Improved Player in 2013 and an All-Star starter in 2014.
"What I can tell you about Paul George, as you all know, is the summertime is his time," head coach Frank Vogel said at his end-of-year press conference. "That's where he gets after it and really tries to come back a different player every year...I have the ultimate confidence that he's going to work his tail off this summer and come back better than ever."
Aside from his rehab, George plans to attend the USA Basketball mini-camp in August. He has an outstanding invitation from USA Basketball and the encouragement and support of the Pacers franchise to continue to play for his country as they begin preparation for the 2016 Olympics.
George will also prepare for a potential new role with the Pacers. Both Bird and Vogel expressed a desire to experiment with smaller, faster lineups that feature George at power forward. LeBron James and Kevin Durant, George's most prominent positional peers, have both played at power forward for stretches in recent seasons. George will have to guard bigger post players, but he's already shown himself to be a versatile defender capable of sticking with anyone from James to a dynamic point guard.
Come the fall, a healthy Paul George will once again shoulder heavy expectations as the face of the Pacers franchise. Expectations are nothing new for him. Throughout his career, he has consistently exceeded them, even after a major injury.
No one expected George to play this year, but he did. Now, can he regain his All-Star form?
History suggests you shouldn't bet against him.