Last night, Jaylon Tyson became the first Cardinal Alum to get drafted by the NBA. It is only fitting that our #20 was the 20th pick in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Coach Dan Lee reflects on JT's time here at JPII.
My first day as head basketball coach at John Paul II was May 15, 2019. On that day I met the team and then they started a game of pickup basketball. After watching the game for a few minutes I noticed one player making play after play. I asked who he was and was told "Jaylon Tyson. He played JV and some varsity last year." I immediately said, "he's going to be our leading scorer next year".
A few days later Jaylon and I were talking in the gym as he put up shots and I asked about his goals. He said "I want to play Power 5 college basketball and then the NBA". At the time Jaylon had no stars, no ranking and no college prospects, much less offers. I told him he has a lot of work to do. Over the next two years he showed a work ethic unlike any I have seen in a high school player. Jaylon was always working on his game, identifying areas for improvement and locking in on those. Jaylon's work ethic is the #1 reason he was drafted #20 in the 2024 NBA draft. Jaylon has a great support system in place but his drive to achieve his goals made his dream a reality. I couldn't be more proud of Jaylon and what he has accomplished so far and can't wait to watch him continue to progress competing against the best players on the planet.
While at JPII Jaylon led the Cards to a 40-1 record and the school's first men's basketball state championship. He was named TABC player of the year for the state of Texas.
