Inside Tyler Tanner's Path to a Second Year Jump for Vanderbilt Basketball
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BIRMINGHAM, AL—As he often does, Mark Byington had a stat that he was nearly giddy to share as he took the podium on Tuesday morning.
The noteworthy one on Byington’s mind; Tyler Tanner led Vanderbilt’s 2024-25 roster in minutes played after the four-minute mark in second halves in which the game was within 10 points.
Byington has never been one to give any credence to starting lineups–and Tanner isn’t likely to be in Vanderbilt’s on opening day–but he appears to view Tanner as a starting-caliber player heading into his second season at Vanderbilt. Tanner already earned enough trust to be out there in pivotal situations as a freshman, now he appears to be in line for a bigger role in year two.
“He’s stronger, he’s put on weight, his intelligence is better, he’s super fast,” Byington said. “I naturally think it’s going to be a year two jump for him and there’s more responsibilities will be put on him now.”
Tanner averaged 5.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game in his freshman season under Byington, but was often confined to a role in which he was seldom one of the primary offensive options on the floor. Tanner’s offensive rating was the fourth-best on Vanderbilt’s roster last season, although his usage rate was well below fourth.
The added responsibility for the Vanderbilt guard will also include more ballhandling duties after the departures of senior guards AJ Hoggard and Grant Huffman. Instead of decidedly being Vanderbilt’s third ballhandler, Tanner is now one of the guys tasked with running the show.
“We all knew he was super talented,” Vanderbilt wing Tyler Nickel told Vandy on SI. “This year, the ball being in his hands more, a lot more making decisions, his athleticism has always been apparent, but now it’s just going to be on display even more.”
Tanner’s decision making captured the eyes of the nation last season as he went all of non-conference play without committing a turnover and made a push for Vanderbilt’s single-season steals record as a freshman.
Perhaps more turnovers will come with an expanded role, but Tanner believes he’s more equipped to be a difference maker this season relative to what he was last season.
“I think I’m more confident everywhere,” Tanner told Vandy on SI. “From my defense to my playmaking, to my shooting, I’ve worked really hard this summer and I can’t wait to showcase that.”
Tanner’s plan of attack in his sophomore season includes the seven additional pounds of muscle that he developed under newly-hired Vanderbilt strength coach Brady Welsh, more arc and a faster release on his jumpshot as well as what he says is more confidence.
Some of that confidence comes from moments in which Tanner demonstrated that he belonged in critical moments of SEC games–like Vanderbilt’s win over Kentucky in which the freshman guard picked veteran guard Lamont Butler’s pocket to all secure an upset–some of ti comes from the USA Basketball backpack that he struts around wearing at SEC media day.
Perhaps most importantly, some of it comes from the talk that’s come from his head coach.
“Coach wants me to be more aggressive,” Tanner said. “That allows me to have more stuff in my game that I can show. My confidence in myself, I know what I can do. I think my role this year will allow me to do more of that stuff.”
Watch Tanner’s Brentwood Academy tape and it’s clear what “that stuff” is. It’s taking guys off the bounce for a late bucket. It’s taking contested shots that Tanner didn’t have the flexibility to last season. It’s finishing around the bucket.
In a simpler sense, it’s being the man. That's what got Tanner here. That's why Byington appears to believe that the Nashville native is his point guard of the future.
Perhaps Tanner’s Nashville private school days and his production throught them aren’t a realistic standard as he straps it up against better players in year two in the SEC, but it’s a reminder that the off-ball role that he appeared to be limited in last season isn’t the ceiling for him.
That could be more easily seen as he takes the floor as a sophomore.
“I trust him,” Byington said. “That’s adding on to this year. He has gotten better.”
_(1)-b3e453dfe426b2dd4b83a12540ebdb37.jpeg "Joey Dwyer")
Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Southeastern 16 and Mainstreet Nashville.
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