Virginia Basketball: 2019 NBA Draft profile of Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome

Strengths – Scoring, IQ, Size

Scoring – As mentioned, Ty Jerome is a great shooter. Consistently shooting nearly 40 percent from three-point range over the course of three seasons is proof of that. What doesn’t show in the percentages is his ability to hit tough shots. Jerome is someone who can make something out of nothing and make a shot that has no business going in. He can make running jump shots from the free throw line with a man on his hip. He can hit deep, NBA range threes when the shot clock is running down. He can hit floaters that hit the top third of the backboard before dropping in. His tournament highlights were a perfect microcosm of the incredible variety of ways he finds to put the ball in the net.

IQ – What those tournament highlights will also show you is how smart Jerome can be. His high IQ shined in the final 20 seconds of the championship game. Down by three with time running out, Jerome drove to the basket and had a relatively easy layup to pull within one. Rather than take the shot however, he recognized the miscommunication of the Texas Tech defense as three defenders were converging on him late leaving De’Andre Hunter open in the corner for a three. He passed up a good shot for a great shot to tie the game. Jerome showed throughout his career the ability to be patient and wait for passing lanes to open up rather than heaving up a tough shot or turning the ball over.

Size – Jerome’s size, at 6’5”, is going to be very important to how his NBA career pans out. As his weaknesses will show, he does not have the athleticism necessary to be a great NBA player, but his height will help counteract his deficits. He will be in the top range of height at the point guard position, and if he proves incapable of keeping up with NBA point guards on defense, his size will allow him to be hidden on defense against taller, spot up shooters who aren’t as quick to drive the ball.