Texas Tech Basketball: 2021 wing commit Jaylon Tyson to have future impact
By Ian Mumm
Texas Tech Basketball gets its first commitment of the 2021 class in 4-star wing Jaylon Tyson.
Chris Beard and Texas Tech Basketball are off to a quick start plucking talent from the upper echelon of the 2021 class. Jaylon Tyson, a 6’6 wing from Plano John Paul II Catholic HS, is the 88th best player according to 247 sports. He averaged 23.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, during his junior season culminating in a 6A state championship and a first-team All-State selection.
Tyson’s recruitment exploded during the season, for obvious reasons, resulting in seven offers from programs in the Big East and Power 5 conferences. His pledge to the Red Raiders continued the strong success Coach Beard has had recruiting the Dallas area. Specifically, recent signees and Dallas-natives Jahmi’us Ramsey, Micah Peavy, and Kyler Edwards are some of the best prospects the program has ever signed.
Beard has repeatedly targeted long, athletic defensive talent with high offensive upside, since arriving in Lubbock. He has done a great job developing players in his program, but he is losing his two best perimeter threats this offseason in Ramsey and Davide Moretti. Tyson shot the ball at a 45% clip last season and would be the most proficient option the program has had in a while by far.
He’s incredibly comfortable hitting shots off the dribble, as a set shooter and through contact. In the state title game against Antonian Prep, the more contested shots were for Tyson the more dialed in he appeared to be. With a quick first step, he is able to set up his defenders to play out of position and is able to finish well around the rim with his physicality.
While the Red Raiders are still in the running for several elite prospects in the 2021 class, Tyson is the kind of player a coach could build a class around. His meteoric rise into the top 100 this spring could signal a further climb once the class has been signed.
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Beard is still chasing the #1 player in the class Jonathan Kuminga, as well as 5-star wing Harrison Ingram and guard Jaden Hardy and 4-star forward Arthur Kaluma. Landing any of these players to pair with Tyson could make for a truly special class.