How Donovan Mitchell's offseason text motivated Jaylon Tyson's breakout start

Jaylon Tyson got a text message on his way to the Cavs’ training facility during the offseason.

That text has given Tyson a different approach to how he plays the game.

And since then, the 22-year-old has got a mentor, someone to push him, motivate him, to elevate his game to new levels. Sure, there will be bumps in the road, but Tyson is on the right path.

While en route to the Cleveland Clinic Courts, Donovan Mitchell was aware that Tyson was going to be there, if not had already arrived.

Mitchell was keen on being that extra set of eyes to guide Tyson on the court, and even in the film room.

During their runs in the offseason, Mitchell and Tyson usually faced each other, and Tyson always wanted to guard Mitchell. After the scrimmages, Mitchell wanted to motivate the youngster further.

Fun story by Fedor on the bond between Donovan Mitchell and Jaylon Tyson, and Tyson’s development thus far. pic.twitter.com/ftogLpSHFJ
— RealCavsFans.com (@realcavsfans) November 3, 2025

Be ready. We need you. This is your time. It’s what you’ve been waiting for and wanting. More will be expected. Be the spark. Be the energy. Everything else will take care of itself.

That was a summary of Mitchell’s text to Tyson, as mentioned by cleveland.com. A message of respect, admiration, and the start of a brotherhood.

“That text message meant the world,” Tyson told cleveland.com.

“It can’t get any better, right? He has kind of been like a big bro to me. I’m just blessed to call him my teammate. I read that text and I had a huge smile on my face.

“Getting to the facility that day, there was a different level of confidence. I feel like that’s what gave me the confidence to be able to come out here this season and be the player that I’ve been.”

The brotherhood between Tyson and Mitchell further came to light during the postgame press conference following the Cavs’ victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.

Mitchell sat with the media to listen as Jaylon fielded questions by himself at the podium.

“You want the truth?” Tyson said when asked about what it’s been like to play with Mitchell.

“I’m just grateful for him as a person. Obviously, he’s a hell of a basketball player, but he’s taught me so much, and I’ve leaned on him in key moments to ask questions… I’m blessed to have him as a teammate.”

His words came after an 18-point performance in the win on Sunday over the Hawks, which included five three-pointers - three of which came in the fourth quarter.

In seven games, Tyson is averaging 10.9 points on 50 percent from the field and 44.1 percent from beyond the arc in increased minutes this season. Mitchell’s influence has certainly helped.

“I think it’s easy to trust a person when you see they consistently are in the gym,” Mitchell said of Tyson.

“There’s like a crew. It’s me, Max, Sam and him. That’s consistently who’s the first one at the gym—been like that since he got drafted to the point where I have to tell him to go home.

“You love that energy. You love that competitive nature. It builds camaraderie, and it builds trust. That’s just a testament to him to be able to gain trust like that, especially on a team like this as a second-year player. Not only that, but succeeding and playing well in that role. It’s big time.”

As time winds down, Tyson’s role within the Cavs’ rotation might change as they start to get back to full strength, whereas Mitchell’s won’t be altered a lot. But their friendship and working relationship won’t break.