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In the Cavaliers’ gym, there was an unfamiliar voice making waves.
With an air of confidence and a boldness that reverberated off the walls, this presence was felt in both the fan-cooled practice facility in the suburbs of Cleveland and at New York University, where players assembled in September for informal practice before the start of training camp.
Among them was a player demonstrating finesse with floaters, step-back threes, mid-range shots, and finishes at the rim—someone who had spent most of the previous season sidelined due to a perplexing ankle injury that ultimately required surgery.
The majority of the Cavs weren’t accustomed to the level of play Ty Jerome was exhibiting, nor were they prepared for the banter that accompanied it.
“Take it easy, man,” Darius Garland remarked last Sunday night when reflecting on his initial impressions of Jerome, the same Jerome who dismantled the Miami Heat in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
“He was talking his trash and backing it up, so there’s not much you can say to him,” Garland noted.
The leading figure on the Cavs’ roster is Donovan Mitchell, who has known Jerome longer than anyone else on the team. While Jerome and De’Andre Hunter played together at Virginia, it’s Mitchell and Jerome who shared a bond growing up near New York City and were on the same AAU basketball team when they were just 8, even playing Little League baseball together.
Two words to characterize Spida… VOCAL LEADER! 🗣️
The Cavs aim to take a 2-0 series lead against the Heat tonight at 7:30 PM ET on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/VZrOK5bwzh
— NBA (@NBA) April 23, 2025
So when Mitchell states, as he did on Sunday night, that “this is who he’s been, this isn’t a surprise,” it makes sense, considering their shared history of around 20 years. However, for the rest of Jerome’s teammates, his coaches—including head coach Kenny Atkinson, who was an assistant at Golden State while Jerome was with the team—and for anyone who regularly follows the Cavs, the confidence and performance Jerome displayed on the court was somewhat novel – at least at first.
It required some adjustment.
“The guys laughed at him initially because he was more of a supporting player,” Atkinson mentioned referring to Jerome’s teammates. “He was already showing off his confidence, and they were like, ‘Who does this guy think he is?’”
Now, the Cavs, the Heat, and all who have witnessed Cleveland’s play this season, especially those who voted for Jerome as the league’s best sixth man, fully recognize his identity.
And the laughter has stopped.
Jerome emerged as a standout in Cleveland’s 121-100 victory over Miami in Game 1, contributing 28 points—16 of which came in the fourth quarter—marking the first playoff game of his career. The only player who may have outdone him was Mitchell, who extended his streak to seven consecutive playoff series opening games with 30 or more points, tying Michael Jordan’s record.
Given Mitchell’s track record, what he achieved against the Heat was anticipated.
Jerome, who has had a remarkable season—arguably the best of his professional journey—still left many wondering what could happen in a playoff debut. Nerves can be challenging; they can interfere with a jump shot and generate anxiety to manage.
Imagine if I told you Jerome’s performance against Miami was just two points shy of Kyrie Irving’s playoff debut (30 points against Boston in Game 1, 2015). Or that Kevin Love, a Cleveland franchise icon, shot just 5-of-14 in his first postseason game, whereas Jerome went 10-of-15 overall, hitting 5-of-8 from beyond the arc and 6-of-7 in the fourth.
As shots went in and the Cleveland crowd erupted, Jerome taunted Heat defenders with the “too small” gesture, pointing at opposing bench players and random fans. This behavior has become characteristic of Jerome all season, but it’s striking to see it manifest on the biggest postseason stage of his life.
“Solid, solid Game 1,” Jerome commented.
A mere half-hour before Game 1, news broke that Jerome is a finalist for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, competing against Boston’s Payton Pritchard and Detroit’s Malik Beasley. Jerome’s case is strong: he averaged 12.5 points, shot over 50 percent from the field, and nearly 44 percent from three-point range (his 87 percent from the free-throw line prevented him from achieving the 50-40-90 milestone). His candidacy is further bolstered by the fact that he hadn’t performed at this level in his previous five NBA seasons.
Selected 24th overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, Jerome averaged 10.7 points over 23.9 minutes across 33 games with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2020-21. In other instances, his minutes were limited, and his on-court flair was less pronounced. He joined the Cavs last season but suffered an ankle injury in Game 2, initially deemed a sprain, that ultimately required surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the season.
While he watched the Cavs through the Eastern Conference semifinals, Jerome found time to reflect. He decided to reconnect with his more self-assured side, the side Mitchell said had always been there. What he contemplated last year turned into action this season.
“You get time to think about how to take the next step,” Jerome shared. “Going into the offseason, your back’s against the wall. You don’t play any games. I don’t have a substantial resume in the NBA, and it feels like you have one last chance to set things right.”
Indeed, Jerome entered the season in the final year of his contract. Whether he would have faced an uncertain future in the NBA remains speculative, but what is clear is that Jerome felt compelled to evolve into the player he has become.
In four of Cleveland’s opening five games, Jerome scored at least 13 points. He followed a career-high 29-point outing on November 20 against New Orleans with a 26-point performance on November 24 against Toronto, eventually setting a new personal best of 33 points against Philadelphia on January 24.
Throughout, Jerome ignited his own competitive spirit, engaging with the nearest opponent or hot dog vendor after seemingly each shot he made.
“Seeing someone come off the bench and have that kind of explosive energy is truly exciting,” Garland stated.
“He’s built for these moments,” added Max Strus, the starting small forward for the Cavs. “He thrives in the spotlight.”
Jerome was just one shining example of the Cavs’ impressive guard play in Game 1. As noted, Mitchell scored 30 points against the Heat, while Garland contributed 27 points, hitting five three-pointers, along with five assists. Atkinson highlighted how Garland effectively tackled the challenges posed by Miami during defensive plays.
The Cavs nearly become “unbeatable” when they receive that caliber of performance from Garland, and when Garland, Mitchell, and Jerome play like that? There’s simply no stopping them.
Joe Vardon is a senior NBA writer for The Athletic, based in Cleveland. Follow Joe on Twitter @joevardon.
