Former Cal star Jaylon Tyson had some special moments last year in his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The 20th pick of the 2024 NBA draft, he averaged 22 points in his three starts, including 31 points in the Cavs’ regular-season finale. But those were not meaningful games in the big scheme of things. When the postseason arrived, Tyson got onto the floor in just four of the nine games.
Now, as the Cavaliers try to build on a 64-win season, Tyson is more than a spare part.
All-Star point guard Darius Garland, who missed the first seven games after toe surgery in June, finally made his season debut on Wednesday night. Shooting guard Sam Merrill also has battled injury and forward DeAndre Hunter sat out the 132-121 win over Philadelphia due to illness.
Tyson, a 6-foot-6 wing who averaged 19.6 points in his lone season at Cal in 2023-24, seemingly has been just what the Cavaliers need. He started for the sixth time this season against the 76ers, contributing 10 points, five rebounds, three assists, two steals, one blocked shot and no turnovers in 29 minutes.
The 23-year-old had 19 points last week against the Celtics and 18 two nights later against the Raptors. In his six starts, Tyson is averaging 13.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists while shooting 55.6 percent from the field, 45.7 percent from 3-point distance.
His only shortcoming has been a tendency to get into foul trouble.
Even so, after the Toronto game last week, coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged that Tyson has carved out a niche with the team.
“If he’s the ninth man and playing 8-10 minutes, or 2-5 minute stints, it’s tough to play that way,” Atkinson said, according to Cleveland Cavaliers on SI. “Now, he knows he’s out there. He knows he can make mistakes. He knows I’m not going to take him out.
“I think it’s building confidence with the vets. They’re already whispering, ‘This guy can really help us.’ So, you know, it’s a real positive.”
Jaylon Tyson dunk against New York Knicks / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Tyson told that a text message from Cavaliers’ star Donovan Mitchell just before the start of training camp changed his mindset.
“Be ready. We need you. This is your time,” Mitchell told him. “It’s what you’ve been waiting for and wanting. More will be expected. Be the spark. Be the energy. Everything else will take care of itself.”
“That text message meant the world,” Tyson told the news outlet cleveland.com. “It can’t get any better, right? He has kind of been like a big bro to me. I’m just blessed to call him my teammate. I read that text and I had a huge smile on my face.
“Getting to the facility that day, there was a different level of confidence. I feel like that’s what gave me the confidence to be able to come out here this season and be the player that I’ve been.”
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