Advertisement
basketball Edit

What kind of player is Tyson and why did he pick Texas? He explains...

When Chris Beard was at Texas Tech, his 2021 signing class included one player, Jaylon Tyson. Tyson committed to play for Beard. Tonight, he again made that commitment when he tweeted he’ll follow his head coach to Texas.

“Really, I loved Texas Tech and everything about it. I really had to go with what’s best with my future with Beard and them and coach Mal (Ulric Maligi),” Tyson said about the decision. “I think Texas is going to be a great opportunity for me with the alumni base and the alumni in the NBA.”


Advertisement

While Tyson is rated as the No. 34 player in the country now, he wasn’t always in that tier as a prospect. In fact, he didn’t crack the Rivals150 until June 2020, which is about six months after Texas Tech extended an offer. Beard and Ulric Maligi were, basically, one of the few high-major staffs to prioritize Tyson and their evaluations and conviction proved fruitful.

“It was very important. They weren’t waiting for anyone else to offer me,” responded Tyson about how much it mattered to him Beard and Maligi were recruiting him from the very beginning. “They offered me of what they saw. It meant the world to me. They’ve always had my back. We have the same goal - win a national championship.”


All Tyson has done since then is making his future coaching staff look smarter. At 6-6, he has a good frame for a wing and he’ll be able to add to it in college. With solid athleticism and the offensive and defensive versatility to play multiple positions, Tyson fits Beard’s style well, which prefers skilled players with size and length that are capable of defending multiple positions and handling the basketball.

Oh, there’s the shooting too. Tyson can flat out shoot the rock from beyond the arc and it’s what he’s known best for, although his ability to put the ball on the floor has really improved. While his catch-and-shoot ability sticks out most, the newest Longhorn is also very good at quickly setting his feet off the dribble and pulling up from anywhere near the arc with a quick, balanced release that really uses his legs well.


Because Tyson signed his National Letter of Intent in the fall with Texas Tech, he’ll have to wait to sign an ASA with the Longhorns. He can do that when the next spring signing period begins on Wednesday. The Longhorns are definitely getting a shooter and a scorer, but they’re also getting a big guard/wing who wants to improve his defense and impact the game in all areas.

“Going to get an athletic guard. I can score and do that, but I feel like Beard and them will help me with my defense. Need to work on my lateral quickness on defense, which is something I’m working on at my house in Plano. But really, just being an all-around player that can help Texas win,” he said about the player UT is getting.


Not an Orangebloods member? We have an unbelievable, limited-time deal for Longhorns fans. Buy one month, and get four months free!. No gimmicks, no hoops to jump through. Come inside, see what you think and we're confident you'll want to stick around for the long haul.

- New users, click HERE to sign up with the promo code.

- Returning free users and past subscribers ... sign in first, and start here to use the promo code.

Don't miss this opportunity to get FOUR MONTHS FREE of Orangebloods.com.

---- OrangeBloods.com - Buy a monthly subscription, and get an additional four months FREE. (Please read the terms of service. Your additional four free months will be granted after your first payment ($9.94 + tax) is fully processed, typically after 72 hours but within a week. Your subscription will renew at $9.95/month after the promotional period ends, unless you cancel. This offer can not be combined with any other offer from the Rivals network).

Advertisement