Former Cal Star Jaylon Tyson Gets Exhibition Start For Cavs

Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson has praise for Tyson after the rookie does some good things in loss to Indana

Jaylon Tyson / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Rookie Jaylon Tyson got a starting assignment in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ second exhibition game on Thursday and while he could not spark his team to victory he received praise from his coach.

The 20th pick in the NBA draft after one season at Cal, Tyson had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists in 29 minutes in the Cavs’ 129-117 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Tyson got the start because Cleveland held four starters out of the game along with two other rotation players.

Two nights after posting eight points and seven rebounds in his exhibition debut against Chicago, Tyson shot 5 for 7 from the field and made his only 3-point attempt. He added two assists and a blocked shot but also turned the ball four times. 

Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson likes what he’s seeing from Tyson.

“He’s everywhere,” Atkinson said. “Don’t count him out. I think he’s a find-a-way guy. Someone said, `What’s his specialty?’ He’s kind of a jack of-all-trades, can do so many things. 

“I love that he’s not afraid . . . he’s going to throw the behind-the-head pass. He’s got a little flair to him. He’s a really interesting player for us. He’s going to put pressure on our rotation guys.”

Atkinson added it’s still possible Tyson could spend time with the G-League Charge team. “But he’s going to get a shot, no doubt about it.”

Tyson was in the starting lineup after regulars got the night off. 

“We really want to take a look at the whole roster and give them a fair shot, with fair minutes and get a good evaluation there,” Atkinson said before the game. “Just look at different lineups.”

Tyson transferred to Cal from Texas Tech to play for coach Mark Madsen in his first season and helped the Bears improve from three victories in in 2022-23 to 13, including a competitive 9-11 effort in the Pac-12.

Tyson earned All-Pac-12 honors after averaging 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists, and opted to enter the NBA draft with a year of eligibility remaining.

Curiously, each of the past three Cal players chosen in the NBA draft — all of them in the first round — played just a single season in Berkeley. Shareef Abdur-Rahim was the No. 3 pick in the 1993 draft and Jaylen Brown went at No. 3 in 2016.