Paul George's rapid rise to a star in the NBA didn't come without some bumps in the road due to the immaturity of a player in his early 20's thrust into the spotlight. After dealing with disappointing playoff losses and headlines, PG absorbed another variety of humility while being forced to miss most of last season with injury.
Observing the game from a different perspective (usually the bench) offered the opportunity to study the game and consult with new players on the roster. That experience puts PG in good position to fill a big void left by David West as one of the lead voices (along with George Hill) in the locker room.