Paul George had a tough debut season with the Philadelphia 76ers. The veteran forward struggled with injury and was ultimately shut down for the final stretch of the 2024-25 campaign. In total, George played in 41 games for the Sixers, averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 43% shooting from the field and 35.8% from deep. George’s impact certainly fell below what was expected of him.

It appears that his struggles in a Sixers jersey have also impacted how George is perceived around the league. In a recent ranking by HoopsHype, which focused on the top 26 small forwards in the NBA, George came in at 18th. While George is certainly past his prime, he would likely feel aggrieved at being so far removed from the top-10 at his position.

“After a very disappointing 2024-25 debut campaign with the Philadelphia 76ers, nine-time All-Star Paul George suffered an offseason injury that required arthroscopic knee surgery, with Philadelphia announcing that it will re-evaluate George before training camp,” HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina wrote. “…Perhaps he’ll prove us wrong, as George was an All-Star merely two seasons ago. Plus, when healthy, he’s a top-notch tough-shot-maker and defender, as well as a productive rebounder and playmaker. But the fact that George will head into 2025-26 after having knee surgery this summer is just outright worrisome.”

George is undoubtedly a better player than we saw last season. If he can stay healthy, he will likely remind the world, and more importantly, Sixers fans, what he’s capable of. After all, he headed to Philadelphia on the back of a strong season with the LA Clippers. The hope remains that both he and Joel Embiid can stay on the court long enough to help bring a championship back to Philadelphia.

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Nevertheless, HoopsHype’s ranking for George, when based on his production last season, is fair. Now, it’s up to him to climb back up that big board and showcase the elite two-way talent that made him such a desirable talent throughout his 15-year (and counting) NBA career.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers’ Paul George ranked as 18th-best small forward in NBA