Tyler Tanner Knows Stardom Has Responsibility. He's Handling it With Intention.
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NASHVILLE—Tyler Tanner just energized everyone in this place with a performance that will stick with himself for the rest of his Vanderbilt career. The Vanderbilt guard’s 29-point showing in Vanderbilt’s Wednesday-night win over Alabama is among the best that a member of this program has put together in recent memory and instantly became the most iconic 40 minutes he played in a Vanderbilt uniform.
In the moments following Tanner skipping around in the Euphoria that he and his teammates had created as the final seconds ticked off the clock, he joined the back of the handshake line. When he had shaken hands with every Alabama player, Tanner eventually gave some sort of embrace to a seemingly endless number of people in the end zone behind Vanderbilt’s bench on the way back to the tunnel.
As Tanner made the same trot three days later after another standout performance, he ran solo into the tunnel after each of his teammates had already entered it and turned to his right. Tanner had spotted a young fan asking for an autograph and turned his body to let him know that he’d “be back out” after Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington delivered his postgame address to the team.
When Tanner re-emerged a few moments later, he knew what was coming and didn’t flinch. What stood in front of Tanner was a throng of kids asking for autographs and pictures as well as a variety of community members–some of which saw Tanner grow up, some know his parents and some have a unique soft spot for him because of how he represents their community.
By the time Tanner makes his way across the baseline to meet his parents and girlfriend, he’s already accommodated more fans than any other Vanderbilt fan will have to. He’s not done yet, either.
As Tanner engages with his family and those who he lended tickets to, he’s often pulled aside by any fan who didn’t catch him on his way to the third row of Memorial Gymnasium’s section L. Saturday, it was nine kids who wanted a picture along with a chaperone that was tasked with taking the photo. Wednesday night, it was a multitude of kids as well as a few autograph collectors who approached Tanner with pictures of him running the show at Rupp Arena last season and two black sharpies.
More than any other Vanderbilt player, Tanner is familiar with the concept of being approached. As a result, he’s got his autograph down to a science these days.
“It’s pretty simple,” Tanner told Vandy on SI as he seemingly described his temperament rather than what he did with a pen in his hand. “I just do two lines and then a line up top for the TT and then I do a hashtag and a three.”
Tanner has had enough practice with the signature that he says the “TT” part of his autograph will likely stay the same once he eventually becomes a professional, but that he may have to change the number to match his current jersey. For now, though, Tanner has to stick with what he knows works for him. There’s too much demand to experiment with a change.
By the time the crowd dissipates and it’s just Tanner alongside those who are close to him, the stands have cleared out entirely with the exception of the employees brought in to clean up the bleachers.
As Tanner exits Memorial Gymnasium for the night, he’s done enough smiling and engaging to run his social battery all the way down. He doesn’t appear to show it, though.
“It's fun, honestly,” Tanner said. “When you grow up, you want to have those fans that are there for you and people with you supporting you at the games.”
Vanderbilt public address announcer Kris Freeman has developed a unique flair to his starting lineup announcements over the years, but it doesn’t take anything all that special from the man on the mic for this place to embrace Tanner. Every member of Vanderbilt’s 16-0 roster has endeared themselves to its fanbase in one way or another, but none of the roars they receive pregame compare to the one Tanner is on the other end of.
The reasoning for Tanner’s amplified platform within this fanbase isn’t all that difficult to decipher. Vanderbilt’s standout sophomore guard is special to those within Vanderbilt’s gym because he’s one of them. Tanner grew up around this place. He grew up coming to games at the place in which he runs the show these days.
Tanner’s story has amplified significantly as he’s become the catalyst for Vanderbilt’s 16-0 start by averaging 17.1 points, 5.6 assists and 3.7 rebounds while cementing himself as the face of its program as a result of his decision to return after a successful freshman season.
The face of the program, hometown-hero role is a responsibility that isn’t often put on a 19-year old. Tanner has embraced it, though. He also appears to be built for it.
“He has always been extremely humble,” Tanner’s mom, Jenifer, told Vandy on SI. “He gets that from [his dad] D’wayne, D’wayne was a great player. Tyler learned how to be humble from him and he’s just a very humble kid.”
Tanner’s role as the hometown hero includes constant smiling, accommodating as many requests as he can and acting as a representative for the place he came from. He also knows that his role requires humility to truly do well.
Through the ego-boosting practices of signing autographs and weathering constant showers of praise, Tanner feels a need to ground himself.
“This can all be taken away in an instant, so I’m never going to think ‘oh, I’m that guy,’” Tanner said. “I could never be cocky. I was just never raised that way. My confidence is growing, but I’ll never be cocky. I’ll probably be humble just because I know how fragile it is and I know how quickly it can go away.”
When Tanner needs to be centered, all he has to do is glance at his left arm. Inscribed in small letters is Jeremiah 29:11–which says “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”--as well as a bigger tattoo inscribed with an excerpt from Joshua 1:9–which says “the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Tanner says the Jeremiah 29:11 tattoo is one he got “three or four years ago” and that the Joshua 1:9 inscription is one he got “right before” he arrived on Vanderbilt’s campus. Tanner says the Joshua 1:9 tattoo reminds him that “The Lord is with me wherever I go” and that the Jeremiah 29:11 tattoo reminds him that “the Lord is guiding my steps.”
The Vanderbilt guard’s faith blossomed while he was at Brentwood Academy and learned the importance of “having a community raise him.” Tanner’s dad says his son embraced his faith back then and that his mindset has evolved since then.
“I think it starts with faith for him,” Tanner’s dad, D’wayne, told Vandy on SI. “There’s a much bigger calling to all that he does. That sort of grounds him to make sure that as he talks and interacts with people, that becomes a centerpiece of how he does it.”
Tanner has begun to view his platform as one that he can use to share his faith and has become a spiritual leader of sorts on Vanderbilt’s campus.
The Vanderbilt guard says his prayer before every game is; “God, help people see you through me.” Tanner says that “when you live by that, it makes it easier to make people happy and be an example for people.”
Tanner’s mom says Tanner’s faith plays an “absolutely huge” role in his ascension and that he’s “supposed to be here because he’s believed it and prayed about it his whole life.”
Perhaps Tanner was meant to be here because of how he’s become a spiritual leader on Vanderbilt’s campus. The Vanderbilt guard is uniquely positioned to inspire change in this place because of what he believes and how he’s able to convey it.
The Vanderbilt guard was one of three athlete speakers—alongside Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers and Vanderbilt soccer star Hannah McLaughlin—to share their faith at Vanderbilt’s Come As You Are event. The message of the testimony that Tanner shared aligns with his pregame prayer.
“That’s my whole purpose here on Earth is to bring people to Christ,” Tanner said. “I tell myself to be a light when I pray. I'm like ‘God, let me be a light.’”
The scope of Tanner’s impact isn’t all that difficult to decipher as his running mate Duke Miles speaks into the mic after Vanderbilt’s win over LSU.
Miles isn’t shy about his declaration that he feels as if Tanner “is the best point guard in the country right now.” Perhaps Tanner still has a ways to go in order to take that title, but he’s closer to making Miles’ words come true than just about any point guard in this program’s history.
Through the first 16 games of his sophomore season, Tanner has played himself into national headlines, NBA Draft buzz–which he’s publicly stated he hasn’t thought much about yet–and a declaration from Alabama coach Nate Oats that he could be the SEC Player of the Year if all goes right.
Tanner’s ascension has been rapid as he’s gone from a complementary piece to a bonafide star that has the capacity to take a game–and the spotlight–over. It’s an adjustment in responsibility that can get to a generally understated like Tanner–who was a three-star recruit with mostly midmajor offers–but if his impromptu postgame meet and greets have indicated anything, it’s that he can handle it.
“[Tanner], he's one of the most humble, most grounded kids that I’ve ever met,” Miles told Vandy on SI. “It's a lot of media talk, there's a lot of scouts and stuff that come around. But, he just comes in and he works and puts his head down every day. He just wants to be a kid. Just seeing him playing at a high level like that. It's just like seeing all his work come true.”
Tanner says he approaches individual attention in the same way that Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington tells Vanderbilt’s roster as a whole to deal with it in the midst of its 16-0 start. Byington tells Vanderbilt’s players not to get caught up in “praise and hate” because “both of them are poisoned.”
The veteran nature of Byington’s team has manifested itself in its ability to ride the highs and lows without folding to the nature of the perception around them. Tanner isn’t a veteran in the same literal sense that his teammates are, but he’s experienced enough in his nature that he’s able to act like one.
“He’s always been levelheaded,” Tanner’s mom said. “That’s just been his personality.”
Vanderbilt is in the midst of a first-half blitz of LSU and Byington has opted to put on significant ball pressure in an effort to get out to a significant lead heading into the half. At the head of the snake it was Tanner–who had perhaps his biggest highlight of the day as he intercepted an inbounds pass and put it right back up for an easy basket.
Tanner’s position at the head of the snake defensively is emblematic of the role that he’s been tasked with taking for this Vanderbilt team ever since he met with Byington this offseason and was told that he would have a chance to take on some added responsibility.
If Vanderbilt is going to win, it’s going to have to do it with Tanner these days. He’s too important for it to do that easily without him. The idea of Tanner’s ascension coming so quickly after his light recruitment and freshman season–in which he was used primarily as a catch-and-shoot piece that was often on the floor for his defense–is difficult to comprehend.
Here he is, though.
“This is a role I’ve dreamed of, a role that I’ve wanted for the past couple years,” Tanner said. “I’m just trying to make the most of it and play to the best of my ability.”
Tanner’s role on this Vanderbilt team and the magnitude of the games they play in is significant enough to where his parents–who both played college basketball–have to fight some nerves in the stands prior to each outing. Tanner’s dad–who was a player in his own regard and set the steals record as well as the assists record at Rice–says he gets “a lot more nervous” with his son’s games than his own.
By the time Vanderbilt tipped off with Alabama at 8:00 P.M. Central against Alabama, Tanner’s dad had already cooked two meals, went for a walk, found himself playing basketball in an effort to calm his nerves.
“He’s just cruising along,” Tanner’s dad said of his son. “My wife and I, we’re on pins and needles for the entirety of the day.”
Tanner’s mom sends a reminder that she and her husband “live and breathe” basketball and "absolutely love it.” Perhaps they’re nervous when they walk into Memorial Gymnasium for significant games, but they’re soaking in Tanner’s sudden rise like everyone else in the building.
Vanderbilt’s hometown hero has seen his life change as he knows it, but he appears to be equipped to handle it. This is what he set out to do long ago. This is stardom.
“This year has been an absolute whirlwind,” Tanner’s mom said. “Just the things that are coming at us, at him and how quickly they’re happening, it’s overwhelming, but it’s exciting.”
_(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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