Who Is Newest Cavalier Jaylon Tyson?

The Cleveland Cavaliers drafted Jaylon Tyson who has a history of being a solid scoring forward.

Jan 18, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears guard Jaylon Tyson (20) dribbles against the Washington Huskies during the second half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Cavaliers could’ve gone in many different directions with the 20th overall pick in the NBA Draft. Ultimately, they decided to select California G/F Jaylon Tyson with their pick.

Who is this newest member of the Cavs organization and what does he bring to the roster?

Tyson is a native of Plano, Texas, and went to John Paul II High School where he was a stand-out player. He helped his team win their first-ever TAPPS class 6A championship and averaged 23.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists during their championship run. 

After high school, Tyson played at three different universities during his collegiate career. He went to Texas for his freshman year, Texas Tech for his sophomore year, and finally, California for his junior year before declaring for the NBA Draft.

Tyson has always been known as a scorer and that finally came to fruition during his time at Cal. He averaged 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 36 percent from the three during his junior year. 

These stats helped the forward be named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and NABC All-District 19 First Team (2023-34).

Jan 18, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; California Golden Bears guard Jaylon Tyson (20) dribbles against the Washington Huskies during the second half at Haas Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Even though Tyson was only there for one season, he certainly left his mark on the Golden Bears program. Tyson scored a total of 607 points last year which is tied for most points scored by a single player in program history. The other player was Allen Crabbe who went on to have a seven-year NBA career. 

The Cavs needed to add a scoring wing to their roster and based on Tyson’s history, he certainly fits that role. It’ll be interesting to see how new head coach Kenny Atkinson uses him in his offense.