Ex-Cal Star Jaylon Tyson Scores 39, Dishes for Cavaliers' Victory

Former Cal star Jaylon Tyson scored a career-high 39 points on Friday night but it was a pass that won the game for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The 23-year-old guard, who played one season for the Bears in 2023-24, took an inbounds pass with 8.1 seconds left against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Tyson drove the left baseline, drew a double-team and wrapped a pass around 76ers center Joel Embiid to Evan Mobley, who dunked the game-winner with 4.8 seconds left.

Jaylon Tyson reacts after scoring against the 76ers | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

“I got open. Made the right read. I went to the rim,” Tyson said on the ESPN post-game interview. “I knew Joel was going to jump so I dumped it off to one of our best players. He made the play. Win the game.”

Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey missed a 37-foot heave at the buzzer and the Cavaliers took over the 117-114 road triumph to complete a two-game sweep of the 76ers.

“Man, what a game,” Cavalier coach Kenny Atkinson said. “A five-star performance from him.

“A young guy like that, you would think he would challenge and try to get a bucket,” Atkinson said of decisive sequence. “The fact that he made the wrap-around dish to Evan, that speaks to his maturity and how much he has grown in two years.”

Tyson’s previous career high was a 31-point performance in the Cavs’ regular-season finale last year.

Only five former Cal players have scored more points in an NBA game: Phil Chenier 53 points, Jaylen Brown 50, Shareef Abdur Rahim 50, Kevin Johnson 44 and Jason Kidd 43.

He drew his 22nd starting assignment of the season against Philly, helping the team rally from an 11-point hole with less than nine minutes left.

His 3-pointer with 2:59 remaining pulled the Cavs within 111-107 and when he hit another from deep a minute later Cleveland went in front 112-111.

Tyson shot 13 for 17 from the field, 7 for 9 on 3-pointers and converted all six of his free throws. He also had five rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes.

The 20th pick in the 2024 draft, Tyson downplayed his greatest NBA performance. “I was just playing my game, playing off our really good players and they were finding me,” he said.

But he talked up his younger brother, Jordyn Tyson, a wide receiver from Arizona State who is projected by ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. as a top-10 NFL draft pick.

“He’s going to go top-5,” Jaylon said. “He’s going to do his thing, Im going to do my thing. We’re going to continue this thing.”

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