Texas Tech lands 2021 F Jaylon Tyson

On May 17th, Jaylon Tyson was just a high school baller at John Paul II in Plano, Texas. Despite having 10 offers from multiple Power-5 schools, he was unranked in the 247Sports 100, which ranks the best recruits in a class. On May 19th, Jaylon Tyson committed to Texas Tech as the 75th best player in the 2021 class. Although his stock seemed to rise overnight, Texas Tech and Chris Beard have been high on him for awhile as they offered him all the way back in December.

When you watch Tyson play basketball, it’s clear why Chris Beard and company love him. He embodies everything a Texas Tech forward has looked like since Beard’s hiring. Tyson is very well rounded. He’s dynamic and a freak athlete. A lot of his highlights are of him catching lobs, something he seems to finish no matter who’s guarding him. He finishes at rim extremely well, whether it’s a crafty layup or a ferocious dunk. This is an aspect of his game that reminds me a lot of Terrence Shannon Jr. Despite how dominant he plays at the rim, he’s only 6-6, 185 pounds (the exact same numbers as Terrence Shannon Jr. before his arrival in Lubbock). Don’t get me wrong, these are great numbers for high school recruit, but Tyson finishes at the rim like a 7-footer.

Another weapon in Jaylon’s arsenal is his jump shot. While his release is a little unconventional, he always follows-through. He knocks down the three in high volume; most coming off a screen or in ISO situations. He can handle the ball really well; a tool he uses to help himself get to the rim. A forward who can shoot, slash, and finish with contact at the rim? You get why Chris Beard was interested in this guy now?

The defense must have Mark Adams drooling. His incredible bounce is a key component in his ability to protect the rim. A lot of his blocks look almost like goal tending just because he gets so high. His speed and pure athleticism are important elements of his defense because of the need to be able to switch onto almost anyone at Tech. His rebounding looks very solid as someone 6-6. It’ll be interesting to see how much Beard and Coach Reilly want to beef him up. That would undoubtedly strengthen and build confidence in his rebounding and finishing.

Last season Tyson averaged 23.3 points, 5.8 boards and 2.1 assists. Watch his development through his senior year, especially in person since so many of you are in the Metroplex area. I think there’s a good chance Tyson not only rises his rating as a 4-star, but maybe even develops into a 5-star. His game is just so well rounded that I think he has the potential to become a top 25 player in the nation. A good friend and former Sports Director at The Raider 88.1, RC Maxfield, made the comp to Justin Gray but with a better jumper at this stage. I definitely see the similarities in their game. Tyson will need to put on those 30 pounds if he wants to be as dominant as Gray was on those boards (Gray was also 185 pounds coming out of high school).

Tyson is everything you want in a wing and he is going to be a threat in Beard’s offense. Whether he’s used as a 3-and-D wing or a slashing forward, he is going to be a problem in the Big 12.