Jeremy Tyler

Jeremy Tyler - Tyler lost out on what looked like a good chance of making the Knicks's roster to the nepotism afforded to Chris Smith. He has gone to the D-League, and totaled 51 points, 19 rebounds and 13 turnovers in his first three games, still with plenty of work to do but also still only 22 years of age.

Pick 39: Even though it is increasingly hard to get ahead of the game now that the picks are two minutes apart, the internet is still in control as it announces in advance that Charlotte will pick Jeremy Tyler. Two minutes later, Jeremy Tyler is picked. Two minutes after that, it is announced that Charlotte will trade Tyler's rights to the Golden State Warriors for cash. Charlotte's earlier trade saw them add about $3 million in total committed salaries once the rookie scale contracts had been factored in, and apparently they want some of it back.

Tyler, one of the biggest projects in the draft, is an eclectic choice for a guaranteed playoff team.

Fraschilla describes Tyler's to-do list as "going from cautionary tale to fairy tale." Fran has enjoyed himself tonight.

Jeremy Tyler - Tyler's squirly route to the NBA took him from high school to Israel (where he averaged 2/2 for Maccabi Haifa and thoroughly disappointed) onto Japan (where he was coached by former NBA head coach Bob Hill). Playing for the Tokyo Apache in the BJ League alongside Byron Eaton and Robert Swift, Tyler averaged 9.9 points and 6.4 rebounds, improving considerably during the course of the season. [As an aside, Eaton averaged 17.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game, while Swift averaged 13.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.] In less than half the game, however, Tyler managed to turn it over a whopping 2.3 times per game.

Without a collegiate resumé, and with only an amazingly anti-climactic season in Israel to his credit prior to this year, this season with Hill represented Tyler's career to date. And in a weak as uncompetitive as the BJ League, Tyler's averages are underwhelming. The reason he is a draft candidate, then, is the reason he was ever relevant - his physical profile. Tyler can jump with the best of them, which is pretty much the first thing you look for in a 6'11 260lber, even if it shouldn't be. He can also dribble and shoot fairly fluidly for one so big. But his effort has always been consistent, and his fundamentals have always been terrible. The turnover numbers from the BJ League suggest that half a calendar year with Bob Hill was not sufficient to straighten them all out.

Someone will pick him anyway. And justifiably so.

Robert Swift signed in Japan with Tokyo Apache, alongside Byron Eaton and Jeremy Tyler.

- Jeremy Tyler

Tyler's well documented Israeli excursion did not go well. In 5 months with Maccabi Haifa, Tyler managed only 10 games, 76 minutes, 21 points, 19 rebounds, 18 fouls and 8 turnovers, before leaving somewhat acrimoniously in early March. It was said that his agency team would look for another good European gig for him, but if they have been looking for that, then they haven't found it yet, because Tyler remains unsigned.

Jeremy Tyler fact: Jeremy Tyler's agent - one of them, at least - is former NBA player Makhtar N'Diaye. Fun fact.