Jaylon Tyson Scores 15 Points in NBA Summer League Debut

The former Cal star cannot boost the Cavaliers in a one-sided defeat to Orlando

Jaylon Tyson during his Cal season. / Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Jaylon Tyson’s NBA summer league debut started well enough. 

The rookie wing from Cal assisted on the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first basket of the game at Las Vegas and he turned an offensive rebound into a putback basket just 2 minutes later.

But most of the afternoon at The Pavilion on the UNLV campus belonged to the Orlando Magic, which led 62-41 at halftime and by as many as 35 points on the way to a lopsided 106-79 victory on Friday afternoon.

Tyson, the 6-foot-7 wing from Cal, finished with 15 points, a team-best eight rebounds, two assists and four turnovers in 24 minutes. He shot 7 for 14 from the field.

A transfer from Texas Tech a year ago, Tyson averaged 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists while earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors in his one season with the Golden Bears.

With a year of eligibility remaining, Tyson bet on himself and turned pro. It turned out to be a good decision because he was the No. 20 pick in the first round by the Cavaliers, meaning he has earned a guaranteed contract.

Wearing jersey No. 24, Tyson started the game and had 10 points, five rebounds and two assists by halftime. 

He was scoreless in the third period, when he picked up his third and fourth personal fouls.

But he scored a pair of baskets early in the fourth quarter, both of them on aggressive drives to the basket that impressed NBA TV analyst Greg Anthony.

“I like him,” Anthony said. “He’s showing some of his ability to finish in traffic. He has shown some flashes.

“I think ultimately he’s a young man they’re going to be happy with.”

Tyson’s first six field goals came on drives or putbacks. After serving as the primary ballhandler last season at Cal, Tyson is learning to play without the ball and become comfortable as a catch-and-shoot threat.

He missed his first two 3-point attempts before connecting from deep with 15 seconds left to complete his scoring.

Second-year pro Emoni Bates led the Cavaliers with 20 points on 7-for-17 shooting.

Tyson and the Cavs return to action Sunday with a 12:30 p.m. game against the Milwaukee Bucks.