Donovan Mitchell Reveals Why Proctor Looks Like a Completely Different Player

Tyrese Proctor is desperate to make the rotation and that's a good thing

Apr 6, 2026; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Tyrese Proctor (24) drives to the basket during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cleveland Cavaliers are banking on several of their young talents to take a sizable leap this upcoming season. And after making the necessary sacrifices to make the acquisition of Peyton Watson and the contract extension of James Harden possible, they essentially need them to. There just wasn’t enough flexibility left to address the holes in the rotation with trusted veteran depth.

As a result, Cleveland now finds itself in the unenviable position of having to rely on a great deal of internal development to occur. That may not necessarily be a bad thing though. Heck, the current CBA almost necessitates it at this point. It’s important to keep a proper pipeline of viable young talent in case you need to backfill the loss of a rotation-level contributor.

The Cavs feature a myriad of players who are hoping to seize the opportunity that could be presented to them with a few roles up for grabs. Especially at backup point, where several youngsters are battling for the job.

Among that collection of rotational hopefuls, stands a 6'4" guard in Tyrese Proctor, who is aiming to separate himself from the proverbial pack in 2026-27. And by all accounts, the Australian National Team regular is beginning to turn heads.

Count veteran guard and leader of the team Donovan Mitchell among the many witnesses to Proctor’s current evolution. During his latest media availability session, Mitchell dished on what he’s seen thus far from the 2nd-year pro.

There's a level of desperation that I feel & I don't mean that in a panicky way. There's a tenacity & hunger about him. I feel like he's coming in like last year never happened. Gotten stronger. Picking myself and James up full court

Donovan Mitchell on Tyrese Proctor

Of course, this comes not long after Head Coach Kenny Atkinson’s recent comments on Proctor adding serious weight to his frame. And while this is most certainly the time of year when these types of things are said to boost a young players confidence and to relay an organization’s faith in them, the praise of Proctor is becoming a regular occurrence.

The Duke product is coming off a rookie season in which he posted averages of 5.4 Points, 1.3 Rebounds, and 1.5 Assists, while completing roughly 41.3% of his shots, including 35.1% of his attempts from long range.

And while he didn’t participate in Summer League play, he did suit up for the Australian National team during FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, where he averaged 19.0 Points, 3.0 Rebounds, 3.5 Assists, while knocking down 41.4% of his attempts, including 40.0% from deep.

Time will tell if he is able to secure a spot within Atkinson’s rotation but one thing is for certain, Tyrese Proctor is giving it his all.