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Cavs commend Ty Jerome for 'dominant' start to season after missing almost all of 2023-24
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- Cavs commend Ty Jerome for 'dominant' start to season after missing almost all of 2023-24
CLEVELAND — Ty Jerome's story is a perfect one to reflect upon during the week of Thanksgiving.
After all, Jerome has plenty to be thankful for because he's excelling with the Cavaliers after missing virtually all of last season due to injury. And the Cavs are thankful the backup guard has played a pivotal part in their historic start to this season .
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Jerome and five-time All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell tied for a game-high 26 points Sunday night as the Cavs beat the Toronto Raptors 122-108 . Jerome went 9-of-14 shooting from the field (4 of 8 on 3-pointers) with five assists, three rebounds, a career-high four steals and one blocked shot in 28 minutes.
This season, Jerome has appeared in all 18 games. He's averaging 12.6 points on 59.7% shooting from the field (54.4% on 3s), 3.8 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 19 minutes per game.
"For him to come back, not only be a solid player, but be dominant and a special player for us, I think that's what's truly impressive," Mitchell said.
Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome drives to the basket against Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji during the first half, Nov. 24, 2024, in Cleveland.
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said he realized Jerome would help the team this season "the moment he stepped in our gym" for offseason workouts. There's a reason Cleveland president of basketball operations Koby Altman called Jerome the "MVP of September" before the regular season began Oct. 23. What's more important is Jerome has carried the momentum over to the real games to the point where Atkinson conceded it's difficult to remove him from the action.
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"Maybe the most surprising thing, he's getting in the lane and getting to the rim, and you wouldn't think he's the speediest guy, but he finds a way to get there, uses his size and his IQ," Atkinson said. "Phenomenal — he's playing phenomenally."
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Jerome has produced 20-plus points four times this season, including three of the last four games. He has logged 10 games with 20 points or more in his NBA career, which began in the 2019-20 season.
When the Cavs (17-1) host the Atlanta Hawks (7-10) on Wednesday night, Jerome will be coming off his first back-to-back 20-plus point performances in the league. He had a career-high 29 points Nov. 20 in a 128-100 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans .
Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome shoots over Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji (30) in the first half, Nov. 24, 2024, in Cleveland.
A Cleveland fan who created a tradition by honoring former Cavs player Cedi Osman with MVP chants whenever he stepped to the foul line gave Jerome the same treatment Sunday. Told about the MVP chants after the win over the Raptors (4-13), Jerome said, "Oh, wow. Did you get it on video?"
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Mitchell pointed out Jerome showed elite talent with another Cavaliers team at the University of Virginia. As a junior in the 2018-19 season, Jerome helped Virginia capture the NCAA championship and a school-record 35 wins, averaging 13.6 points, 5.5 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals a game.
Yet, Jerome has encountered setbacks with an extensive injury history, which includes hip surgeries he underwent when he was in high school at Iona Prep in New Rochelle, New York.
After a season with the Golden State Warriors , who employed Atkinson as an assistant coach at the time, Jerome signed with the Cavs as a free agent in July 2023. However, he appeared in just two games last season because a right ankle impingement sidelined him in October and resulted in surgery in January.
When the Beacon Journal asked Jerome the exact nature of his injury during Cavs Media Day on Sept. 30, he said, "I had to remove bone spurs, and I had to reshape the surface of bones in my ankle."
Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome celebrates after hitting a first-half 3-pointer against the Hornets, Nov. 17, 2024, in Cleveland.
Mitchell said Jerome's "mental fortitude" has allowed him overcome adversity and thrive.
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"It shows a level of hard work and preparation and dedication to the game," Mitchell said. "He comes in, he's on time, he's preparing the right way, he's taking care of his body, and when you go through an injury like that, it can sometimes take away the joy, the love. It can kind of push you mentally."
How tough is Jerome? Mitchell has a better feel for the answer than any other member of the Cavs. He and Jerome were childhood AAU teammates with the Riverside Hawks in New York City. Jerome's father, Mark, coached them.
"His dad used to cuss us out at 8 years old," Mitchell said. "I tell people all the time I don't like positive reinforcement. I think it's just PTSD from my AAU days with his pops. I think that's probably the funniest part we talk about all the time."
In all seriousness, Jerome and Mitchell won big games together back then, and they're rolling again this season with the Cavs.
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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. On Twitter: @ByNateUlrich .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ty Jerome's Cavs teammate Donovan Mitchell praises 'dominant' start
