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Cal Basketball

Cal's Jaylon Tyson Picked 20th By Cleveland In NBA Draft

June 26, 2024
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BERKELEY – California men’s basketball standout Jaylon Tyson was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday night.

Tyson becomes the 11th Golden Bear to be picked in the first round of an NBA Draft. He’s the first Cal player to be drafted since Ivan Rabb (35th overall to Orlando, later traded to Memphis) and Jabari Bird (56th overall to Boston) both went in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft, and he’s the program’s first player taken in the first round since Boston selected Jaylen Brown with the third overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Tyson watched the draft privately in his hometown of Plano, Texas, surrounded by friends and family.

The 6-foot-7 forward was an All-Pac-12 First-Team selection and a finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award in his lone season with the Golden Bears in 2023-24. Tyson established himself as one of the nation’s most dynamic collegiate players, as he was one of just two major-conference players to average 19.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game or better. He registered shooting splits of .465/.360/.796 while racking up 17 20-point games and eight double-doubles, five of which were 20-point, 10-rebound performances.

Tyson arrived at Cal as one of the most sought-after players in the 2023 transfer class, and helped reinvigorate the Cal men’s basketball program during head coach Mark Madsen’s first year at the helm. After starting his collegiate career at Texas (2021-22) and playing one season at Texas Tech (2022-23), Tyson finished with career averages of 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, along with a 47% clip from the floor and a 37.2% 3-point field-goal percentage.

Tyson is the fourth Cal player drafted by Cleveland, joining Kevin Johnson (first round, 1987), Jackie Ridgle (third round, 1971) and John Coughran (fifth round, 1973).

The 2024 NBA Draft continues Thursday with television coverage of the second round starting at 1 p.m. PT on ESPN.

California NBA Draft History – First-Round Picks (11)

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Cal's Jaylon Tyson Picked 20th By Cleveland In NBA Draft

2,568 Views | 10 Replies | Last: 4 hrs ago by 01Bear
Eastern Oregon Bear
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9:44p, 6/26/24
"I'm not gonna be in the NBA for 4 years. I'm gonna be in the NBA for 15 years!" I love Jaylon's attitude!
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Golden One
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In reply to Eastern Oregon Bear • 10:44p, 6/26/24
Congratulations to Jaylon! Hope he tears it up in Cleveland.
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philbert
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11:03p, 6/26/24

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brevity
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7:21a, 6/27/24




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Pittstop
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9:23a, 6/27/24
He obviously thinks highly of Madsen. Keeps repeating that he is one of the best coaches in all of college bb. Cal MBB should play that clip for recruits.
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evanluck
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1:15p, 6/27/24
So great to see how the team was gathering to support and cheer him on!

Also really great to have the program be led by a coach that not only understands the value of a family-oriented culture but is also not shy about seizing opportunities to showcase the uniqueness of the program he is building at Cal.

This is an initial culmination of a lot of dreaming, focus and hard work and it was so great that he got to share the joy of the accomplishment with his Cal family. Very happy for Jaylon and can't wait to see him in the NBA!
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HoopDreams
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10:10p, 6/27/24
hooper!


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brevity
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5:49p, 6/30/24
Jaylon Tyson's introduction in Cleveland:



The team's website has an accompanying article, Tyson's First Day in the Land.

"I always thought in the back of my mind I could be an NBA player," said the 6-6, 220-pounder. "I had a lot of confidence in myself. I just knew I had to show it the difference between knowing it and showing it. So, I knew I had to get in the right system with the right coach who really believed in me, and obviously that's why I'm sitting here today."


"(His) dynamic workout really left an impression with us, both character-wise, how he performed on the court, and then (he) just gave us a vision on how we can use him in terms of he's going to elevate people around him," said Cavaliers President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman. "That's the mark of a really good player. He's going to help his teammates.

Tyson will presumably play for the Cavaliers in Summer League. The official schedule shows games against the Magic, Bucks, Warriors, and Lakers. (There will also be a fifth game announced later, based on the league standings.)
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75bear
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8:40a
Madsen traveled to Plano, Texas to be at Tyson's watch party??? This is all I need to know about Madsen and the future of Cal basketball.

Congrats to Tyson - what a milestone marker, and I can't wait to see what he can accomplish at the highest level.
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01Bear
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In reply to 75bear • 10:10a
75bear said:
Madsen traveled to Plano, Texas to be at Tyson's watch party??? This is all I need to know about Madsen and the future of Cal basketball.

Congrats to Tyson - what a milestone marker, and I can't wait to see what he can accomplish at the highest level.

Not just traveled to, but was likely invited by Jaylon. That's a very positive sign to me. Madsen knows how to coach up his players and earn their respect.
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