International Man of Mystery: Jeremy Tyler
Born and raised in San Diego, California, the 6'11" forward raised some eyebrows when he decided to skip the more traditional route of college to professional ball, but instead opted for Israel after his junior season. After one disastrous season there, Tyler moved on to Japan and put up some great averages of 10 points and 6.5 rebounds in about 15 minutes of action a game in 33 appearances; he finished the year with a double-double, his fifth of the year, before league play was cancelled due to the earthquake.
Now, Tyler is back in the States at the Draft Combine where he measured in this week with a 7'5" wingspan- the biggest in camp. He also showed up with the highest body fat percentage in the camp. But still, teams have been impressed with his athleticism, mobility for a man of his size and ability to knock down jumpers from 12-15 feet out.
It will be difficult for teams to get a feel for Tyler because there is not a whole lot of footage to evaluate him, but based on the way he looks now, some front office personnel feel he could have been a lottery pick had he finished high school and played one year in college. He's been likened to Amare Stoudemire with the way he graces the court, but won't be picked nearly as high as Stoudemire who went ninth overall. Tyler could slip into the 20s in the first round and become a great value for one of those teams.
By President Corey Ruff - 5-21-11
