After missing nearly all of last season, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome entered this year as an afterthought. Many had forgotten why the Cavs signed him in free agency. After Jerome suffered extended absence due to a frustrating ankle injury, even more had forgotten what he could bring to the Cavs on the court.
For fans, casual observers, and media alike, that was understandable. Basketball is a game where players are constantly asked, “What would you say you do here?”
Yet, within the Cavs’ front office and coaching staff, belief in Jerome never wavered. In fact, reuniting with him was one of the reasons Kenny Atkinson was excited to take over as head coach.
Still, as the 2024-25 season unfolded, few could have predicted what Jerome had in store for Cleveland.
Jerome has been nothing short of phenomenal. His 11.7 points per game in just 19.1 minutes might not seem eye-popping at first glance. However, the efficiency of the volume at which he’s scoring tells a different story.
“It’s an amazing story,” Atkinson said after Jerome’s 26-point explosion in Cleveland’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
It’s also a story no one saw coming.
“One of the coaches asked me, ‘Was this the same guy? Did you see any of this in Golden State?’” Atkinson recalled. “I saw none of this.”
Ty Jerome has even surprised Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson!
Jerome ranks fourth on the team in points per 100 possessions, just behind Cavs superstar big man Evan Mobley. While comparing raw stats between a reserve and a high-minute starter can be tricky, this underscores his impact as a scorer when he’s on the floor.
His efficiency is even more impressive. According to Cleaning the Glass, Jerome is in the 98th percentile for points per shot attempt, second only to Cavs big man Jarrett Allen. His success stems from elite, almost routinely perfect accuracy on his floater, ranking in the 100th percentile for short midrange. It also is supported by his lethal three-point shooting, where he’s connected on a career-best 43.7% of his attempts.
Numbers for a player in Jerome’s archetype are rare. Usually, it’s seen with stars who make scoring look effortless and live at the free-throw line. It’s not something often seen from a lead bench guard. However, for Jerome, it’s become the new norm for the Cavs. It’s what also has made him a staple in Kenny Atkinson’s rotation.
“He’s done this for long enough that we just have to understand that this is Ty Jerome,” Cavs superstar Donovan Mitchell said. “There’s no looking at him like, ‘Man, that’s a shock, a surprise.’ This is him.”
Donovan Mitchell dives deeper into Ty Jerome’s season
While it’s nice that Mitchell gave Jerome a ringing endorsement, that acceptance wasn’t always there. For someone like Mitchell, who grew up playing with Jerome and always knew he was talented, but didn’t expect this level of play from Jerome in the NBA.
“He was doing this in camp, in OTAs, in pick-up. But he hadn’t done it in the league,” Mitchell said. “It’s different when you do it in an NBA game.”
Mitchell pointed to Jerome’s 29-point outing against the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this season and his career-best 33-point night against the Philadelphia 76ers as moments that proved he was for real.
Jerome, however, has always believed in himself and his game. He joked while icing his ankles postgame that it was, “messed up” that people were finally paying attention to him. Honestly, it’s understandable. Jerome’s time in Cleveland has been defined by injuries. This season, now that he’s finally healthy, he’s proving why he’s always believed in himself.
“He’s overcome a lot, said Donovan Mitchell. “Injuries, different situations. And now he’s getting his chance, and he’s not letting it go.”
That chance has given Jerome confidence, which manifests in his game. He plays like someone who knows he’s one of the best scorers on the floor and that it’s everyone else’s fault for not realizing it sooner. With every game, that belief becomes harder to dispute.
“I’ve always had this from a skill perspective,” Jerome said. “It’s just about getting stronger, taking care of my body, and sometimes, opportunity meets timing and it just clicks.”
Championship-caliber teams need a mix of talent, luck, and unexpected contributions to elevate them. So far, Jerome has been one of those surprise difference-makers, pushing Cleveland to the top of the NBA. But for Jerome, it was never luck. He always knew his time would come. Everyone else is just starting to catch up.
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