Ex-Cal Star Jaylon Tyson Delivers in NBA Exhibition Debut With Cavs

He contributes eight points and seven rebounds in just 12 minutes off the bench in his first game

Jaylon Tyson defends Chicago Bulls guard Chris Duarte. / David Richard-Imagn Images

Jaylon Tyson, who earned All-Pac-12 honors in his lone season at Cal last year, is off to a solid start as an NBA rookie with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

A first round NBA draft pick of the Cavs, Tyson had eight points — all in the fourth quarter — and a team-high seven rebounds in a 116-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night.

Tyson shot 2 for 6 from the field and 0 for 2 from 3-point range. The 6-foot-7 wing converted all four of his free-throw attempts. He had no assists and committed one turnover in 12 minutes. 

Tyson told News 5 in Cleveland after the team’s morning shootaround that he already was keyed up for his exhibition debut.

"Super excited, starting to get jitters already and it's only 11 o'clock," Tyson said. "I'm just excited and just ready to show everybody what I've been working on."

Tyson came to Cal last season as a transfer from Texas Tech and led the Bears in scoring at 19.6 points per game. He added 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists, helping first-year coach Mark Madsen’s squad post a 13-19 record, a 10-game improvement over the previous season. Cal was 9-11 in the Pac-12 after winning just two conference games in 2022-23.

That performance prompted the Cavaliers to choose Tyson with the 20th pick of the NBA draft.

He exceled for the team during summer league play, showing a versatile game. Tyson has said he believes defense and rebounding will earn him minutes as a rookie, and that his new teammates have infused him with confidence.

"I just feel like my teammates believing in me. Even when I miss a shot at practice, they tell me — even Donovan (Mitchell) will come up to me and say 'Keep shooting. Keep shooting. If you have open shots, shoot the ball,’ " Tyson said. "Sometimes if I'm not open, they say 'Just shoot the ball.' So just having that trust from my teammates early, I think that's a big thing going into this."

Tuesday was just the beginning for Tyson.

"This is a different level, a level a lot of people dream of being on,” he said, “and I'm here and it's finally right in front of me."