Ty Jerome was not on the OKC Thunder fan base radar before the current NBA season. The second-year pro injured his foot diving for a loose ball during training camp and fell down the depth chart as a result.
Little did Thunder fans know, Sam Presti knew the point guard’s potential the entire time.
While missing the first 32 games of the season, it is more than impressive that Jerome is averaging 9.9 points per game to go along with 3.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in just 11 games with OKC.
Moreover, he is shooting 44.6 percent from 3-point range this season. After shooting 100 percent from deep in a recent clash against the Timberwolves, it is clear that Ty Jerome will be a talented addition to this OKC Thunder second unit.
Before Oklahoma City recalled him from the OKC Blue, he averaged 12.1 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.6 rebounds in just nine appearances for the developmental squad.
Jerome is a 6-5 guard who can play both backcourt positions. He is a dynamic passer and scorer as the former Virginia standout led the Cavaliers to a National Championship in 2019.
Jerome has boosted his numbers significantly in recent weeks.
Over the last four games, he’s been averaging 11.5 points per game and will continue to see more minutes now that Hamidou Diallo is in Detroit.
Ty Jerome provides flexibility off the pine for the OKC Thunder
The NBA has changed drastically in recent memory.
Today’s game is a “pace and space” format — the most significant asset in today’s game is teams with interchangeable positions. The OKC Thunder now has a well-rounded guard who can relieve Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or step in for Luguentz Dort if needed.
The best part of Ty’s game is that he is a proven and skilled passer.
Moreover, he loves to dish out superb dimes with his left hand and he seems to be more efficient with the one-handed bounce pass than he is with a conventional two-handed pass.
Let’s check out a couple of plays that Jerome has made consistently during his short stint with OKC. The first play is of him making his patented one-handed bounce passes.
Look how easy he makes this play appear.
https://twitter.com/okcthunder/status/1370825998946729986?s=20
OKC has been looking for a guard with this playmaking ability since the days of Russell Westbrook.
SGA tends to look for his shot first, which is not necessarily bad, but if the Thunder can find a traditional point-guard it will be a seamless transition for the All-Star snub to move back to his natural position as shooting guard.
On February 26th, Jerome’s debut broke the single-game assist record for a Thunder player making their debut with seven. While this play is not something that will blow Thunder fans away, it is significant because the 23-year-old makes this pass without looking.
Check out the no-look pass on this play,
https://twitter.com/okcthunder/status/1365495826940837889?s=20
In conclusion, if this past week was any indicator of Ty Jerome’s future with this OKC Thunder franchise, it is safe to say fans are in great hands.
Having a pass-first guard who looks for others to get involved will provide a much-needed boost coming off the bench.
There is also the slim possibility that Jerome works his way up the depth chart into a starter role. However, I assume Theo Maledon will have something to say about this current roster’s starting point guard position.
The Thunder fan base was skeptical of Jerome due to his late start to the season, but it is clear now that Sam Presti was holding out because he knew the type of play this combo-guard brings to the team and the second unit.
Hopefully, Thunder Nation will see more of the same as he looks to be a cog in the system for years to come.