This season, though, George is being taken seriously, even though he doesn’t start. He had 10 blocks in a win over Campbell, is a 64 percent free-throw shooter and played 28 minutes in the win over South Carolina. The Bulldogs entered the weekend in first place in the Big South Conference.

George, who acknowledged he needs to lose about 15 pounds, often is limited in practice. During a workout this month, George lightly jogged on the side while his teammates did sprints — even though George’s missed free throw led to the extra running.

But not one teammate complained. They respect him for how he’s improved and how he deals with being 7-7.

“I feel bad for him a lot of times,” said senior guard K.J. Garland. “You go into a restaurant and he’s not normal. He can’t enjoy a normal meal. I try to take up for him at times when I can. I’ll tell people to back off a little bit. But he’s done a tremendous job dealing with that.”

A mass communications major, George has written a handful of screenplays and short stories. His eyes light up when he talks about perhaps becoming the world’s tallest writer or director.

Biedenbach believes he wouldn’t have made it in college — there isn’t a desk on campus that fits him — if he wasn’t so readily accepted by fellow students.

“I really love film,” George said. “I love basketball. Whatever path I happen to go on, we’ll see what happens.”

George hopes to end up in the NBA, although he realizes he must be able to move better. Dunked on by North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough in a game earlier this month, several scouting services wonder if George can pass an NBA physical.

Biedenbach, who coached 7-foot-2 Tom Burleson while he was an assistant at North Carolina State, thinks George can become the school’s first NBA player.

“Can he play in the NBA? Yes. Do I think he will? He’s got to stay healthy,” Biedenbach said. “If he stays healthy for these two years, he’ll play in the NBA.”

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