Every year, there are a multitude of NBA players who get all the glory and recognition—whether they’re superstars, All-Stars, or great consistent players. But basketball isn’t a one- or two-person game; rather, there are a multitude of impactful players that fly under the radar due to their limited role, minimal scoring, or “boring” game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been rolling this season. Donovan Mitchell has been exceptional, Darius Garland, Caris LeVert, and Evan Mobley have improved their games, and Isaac Okoro and Jarrett Allen have been defensive juggernauts. But there’s one guy who’s been quite impactful for the team this year: Ty Jerome. (Stats are as of 11/20/2024).

SCOUTING REPORT:

Defensively, Ty is a jumpy player, which isn’t always ideal in one-on-one situations where he tends to be late on contests. However, he’s quick and has a good enough frame that this rarely becomes a major negative.

His bread and butter defensively comes in help defense and his ability to anticipate and jump passing lanes for steal attempts. Ty’s great hands and willingness to take risks, such as doubling unexpectedly, have become integral to the Cavaliers’ defensive identity.

Scoring-wise, Ty is typically a simple, fundamentally sound player. He’s often the beneficiary of kick-out, catch-and-shoot threes or capitalizes on what the defense gives him with long closeouts. Around the basket, the 6’5” guard uses his body effectively to create space for layups. While he’s capable of creating his own shot at times, there’s rarely a need to with dominant shot creators often sharing the floor with him. And when it comes to his three-point shooting—well, he can definitely shoot.

Offensively, Ty plays with patience and is a strong ball handler. He rarely seems rushed and consistently makes the right read in most situations. While he’s not always listed as the point guard, Ty frequently acts like one, showing great awareness of where his teammates are or will be.

Even when his passes don’t result in assists, his vision stands out. His turnovers, typically the result of good reads that are just slightly late, are not concerning early in the season. At 1.1 turnovers per game, his mistakes are far from destructive to the Cavaliers.

DATA REPORT:

Ty has been having a career year in virtually every statistical category, averaging a stat line of 11.8 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting an incredible 55% from behind the arc.

Not only is he doing this in just 18.5 minutes per game, but man, oh man, is he crushing it from an advanced statistical perspective. He’s one of the best shooters at his position, and his assist numbers are fantastic. Ty ranks in the 97th percentile for his position in assist percentage (26%) and in the 96th percentile for assist-to-usage ratio (1.13).

Defensively, Ty isn’t the greatest one-on-one defender, but he’s solid and smart enough to excel in other areas. Not only is he averaging 2.3 deflections per game, but he ranks in the 96th percentile for his position in steal percentage (2.6%), and when he’s on the court, the Cavaliers are in the 98th percentile in effective field goal percentage (eFG%) and the 92nd percentile in turnover percentage (TOV%). Ty also makes a big impact in transition, helping the Cavs rank in the 88th percentile in transition efficiency off rebounds, turnovers, or free throws.