The Cleveland Cavaliers were one of the most surprising teams in the NBA last season.
Not many people expected them to lead the Eastern Conference, let alone have the second-best record in the entire Association.
However, there were also some tough stretches, especially in the second half of the season.
That, plus the lack of consistent playing time, helped rookie forward Jaylon Tyson learn some valuable lessons in his first year in the league.
In a recent interview during a Summer League game, Tyson opened up on how he had to learn to stay level-headed and unfazed, which was the biggest thing he had to incorporate as a rookie:
“The biggest thing I would say I learned is the process—not getting too high, not getting too low. The NBA is a very, very long season. I’m stressing that a lot to these new guys. Just not getting too high, not getting too low. I had games. I had really good games. I had games where I didn’t play my best. Just staying level-headed and just being ready for the next day. That’s what I’m going to take on for the next year and the years to come,” Tyson said.
Tyson almost had a triple-double in his first game as a starter.
Then, there were nights in which he didn’t even see the floor.
Being a rookie can be frustrating at times, especially if you play on a contender, as there won’t be many opportunities for you to grow through your mistakes and develop.
Even so, Tyson did a solid job when he was asked to take the court.
He worked hard and stayed ready for whatever the team demanded from him.
Now, with not a lot of money or cap space to bring in more players, Kenny Atkinson will have to trust him to embrace a bigger role in his second year in the league.
He has the 3-and-D skill set that championship contenders usually covet, and his newly found short-memory approach to the game could also help him be a steady contributor.
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