Cavs players already impressed by rookie Jaylon Tyson: ‘I would have thought he was 24 or 25’

The Cleveland Cavaliers didn’t make any major roster additions this offseason, but one new player joining the fold is first-round rookie Jaylon Tyson.

The Cavs scooped up Tyson with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and he’s already making a strong impression on his Cleveland teammates.

Cavs players Max Strus, Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert have all had very good things to say about the youngster.

“Our rook has impressed me,” Strus said Wednesday. “He plays basketball the right way. He’s mature in the way he carries himself. He’s not out here asking for the ball or trying to do too much. He’s just trying to get in where he fits in. As a rookie, that’s not easy to do always. It’s impressive to see that. It’s refreshing to have a rookie come in and do that.”

Mobley said his piece.

“Jaylon Tyson,” Mobley said Tuesday when asked to name the surprise of camp so far. “He’s been a great all-around player. Goes in there and gives you what you need. Rebounds, can shoot the ball, attacks and creates plays for others.”

LeVert said he didn’t realize Tyson was only 21 and that he would’ve thought he was a few years older.

“Jaylon knows how to play the game,” LeVert said. “He’s very smart. He knows what spots to be in offensively and defensively, and he’s very eager to learn. He’s played a lot of basketball. I didn’t even know he was 21. I would have thought he was 24 or 25 with the way he kind of handles himself and knows where to be. I think he has a lot of upside. A lot of Cavs fans are going to be excited when they see him play. I think he fits right in to what we do.”

The praise from LeVert has to mean a lot to Tyson, who said earlier in the offseason that he’s hoping to learn from LeVert.

The Cavs rookie has displayed plenty of confidence since being drafted by the franchise, something that will certainly come in handy for him at the NBA level.

If he wants to have a role with Cleveland in his first season, he’ll need to balance his confidence with his willingness to not try to do too much. Based on some of the comments his teammates have made, it sounds like he’s undeniably on the right track in that regard.

During his final collegiate season, Tyson averaged 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 36.0 percent from beyond the arc. Nobody is expecting him to produce like that right away in the NBA, but he’d certainly love to reach those heights at some point during his time with the Cavs.

Cleveland finally won a playoff series last season before being sent home in the second round by the Boston Celtics. If the Cavs are going to make a deeper run this season, they may need a player to exceed expectations — and Tyson seems like an intriguing candidate to check that box.

New Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson spoke about the rookie and shared a story involving Tyson’s last college head coach, Mark Madsen.

“He seems like one of those players that’s going to find a way,” Atkinson said of Tyson. “He does a lot of things well. Maybe not an elite NBA skill right now, but good cutter, good offensive rebounder, all those things that role players do. Mark’s a heck of a coach. He played in the NBA a long time. He told me when we drafted him, he says, ‘Jaylon is gonna end up in your rotation pretty soon.’ That’s how much confidence he has in him. He’s been really, really intriguing.”

Tyson appears to be a storyline worth monitoring as the new season approaches. If he continues to impress in camp, he may force his way into some playing time during his rookie campaign.