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Jaylon Tyson is Cavs fan favorite, bright spot amid struggles. Opinion
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- Jaylon Tyson is Cavs fan favorite, bright spot amid struggles. Opinion
My grandmother's "elevator buddy" is the best Cavaliers story midway through the 2025-26 season .
Allow me to explain.
Janet Ulrich is a die-hard Cleveland sports fan who watches every game and knows her stuff. In recent years, attending a Cavs game in downtown Cleveland has been among her top birthday wishes.
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While Grandma entered Rocket Arena as a gift for her 85th birthday, she had a chance encounter with Cavs wing Jaylon Tyson nearly a year ago.
A pedestrian bridge connects the Gateway East Garage to the arena's club level, where fans can access other floors of the venue with elevators. There is also a hidden practice court nearby. Tyson must have been working out there because he stepped onto an elevator where Grandma had been waiting to descend from the club level to find her seat on the street level.
Grandma's eyes immediately lit up when she realized who had joined her on the elevator. The previous night, she watched the Cavs telecast as Tyson, then a rookie, started in a 126-106 win at the Miami Heat on Jan. 29, 2025. She told him he had a great game, and he thanked her.
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My aunt Julie is one of Janet Ulrich's seven children, all of whom were born on a different day of the week and raised in Akron's North Hill neighborhood. Julie saw this scene unfold on the elevator and told Tyson her mom had requested Cavs tickets for her birthday. When the elevator stopped, Tyson stepped out for a moment to graciously pose for a photograph with Grandma.
"Anything for the birthday girl," he said.
Cleveland Cavaliers player Jaylon Tyson poses for a photograph with Cavs fan Janet Ulrich during the 2024-25 NBA season at Rocket Arena.
Tyson proceeded to score 15 points and grab five rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench, helping the Cavs defeat the Atlanta Hawks 137-115 on Jan. 30, 2025. Grandma shouted with delight every time he touched the ball.
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Grandma has always cheered for the Cavs, but Tyson's kindness has given her extra incentive to root for him.
"I call him my elevator buddy," she told me earlier this season during one of our basketball-themed talks.
My daughters are aware of their great-grandmother's affinity for Tyson. They often yell "elevator buddy" when they watch games on TV and see him make a play.
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Jaylon Tyson flourishes amid Cavs' struggles
There has been plenty for Cavs fans to yell about this season.
Tyson's rapid development is the most pleasant surprise for the Cavs halfway through what has been a massively disappointing season.
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After going 64-18, securing the Eastern Conference's No. 1 playoff seed and losing 4-1 to the Indiana Pacers in the second round this past May, the Cavs have underachieved en route to a record of 22-19 this season. Although injuries have plagued Cleveland , the team's collective health cannot excuse all of its problems, which have included poor defense, shooting and rebounding along with a lack of overall intensity.
Tyson has been an outlier. He has exceeded expectations, and the Cavs need more guys in their locker room to play like the 2024 first-round draft pick (No. 20 overall) from the University of California.
"He can shoot, and I like the toughness," Grandma said. "He gets down and dirty. He's not afraid."
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle looks to shoot against Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson, Jan. 10, 2026, in Cleveland.
Grandma is right.
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Regular-season mirages are abundant in the NBA, yet the 23-year-old Tyson has been playing with the tenacity of a bona fide playoff performer. Unlike some of the Cavs, Tyson's competitive fire consistently burns bright.
Even when the Cavs laid an egg on Jan. 12 with their 123-112 home loss to the Utah Jazz (14-25), Tyson tallied 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 25 minutes, finishing with the only positive plus-minus rating on the team. With Tyson on the court, the Cavs outscored the Jazz by five points.
Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson drives to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh, Jan. 12, 2026, in Cleveland.
Jaylon Tyson worked behind scenes to become good shooter with Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs have extremely likable personalities on their roster. They are a nice group, and whenever they're pushed around on the court, legitimate questions arise about whether they have the right mix of people. The "soft" label has haunted them since a first-round playoff flameout against the New York Knicks in 2023.
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Still, Tyson is proof it's possible to be sweet to a grandma off the court and pursue a loose ball on it by diving into opponents like a madman. He possesses the coveted dog mentality .
When asked which aspect of Tyson's development he found most impressive, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson couldn't narrow down his response to one element.
"Defense and shooting," Atkinson said. "To be a plus defender second year in the league is tough. So, that makes me think, 'Man, I've got to put this guy on the court.'
"He worked tremendously hard on his catch-and-shoot game and getting it off quick, too. He doesn't need time and space, and he's 6-7½, so he can get it off. Those are the two biggest areas that have surprised me."
Cavaliers guard Jaylon Tyson drives to the basket against San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes on Dec. 5, 2025, in Cleveland.
Jaylon Tyson stats
Tyson is averaging 12.8 points on 51.4% shooting from the field (45% on 3-pointers), 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, one steal and 27 minutes this season. As a rookie, he averaged 3.6 points on 43% shooting from the floor (34.5% on 3s), two rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.3 steals and 9.6 minutes last season.
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The Cavs will begin the second half of the regular season with back-to-back games on Jan. 14 and Jan. 16 at the Philadelphia 76ers . Whether the Cavs can truly get their act together in the next few months will be one of the top storylines in the Eastern Conference. At this point, Tyson continuing to bring the requisite effort, energy and passion to each game is a safer bet.
Cavs fans can only hope Tyson's veteran teammates will follow suit. No matter what, Grandma plans to be back at Rocket Arena to support her "elevator buddy."
Nate Ulrich is the sports columnist of the Akron Beacon Journal and a sports features writer. Nate can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com . On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jaylon Tyson is the best Cavaliers story in disappointing Cavs season
