Tyrese Proctor, presently ranked No. 28 on ESPN’s High 100 and No. 30 on HoopsHype’s newest Mixture Mock Draft, has quickly established himself as among the best lead guards in school basketball. The Australia native is understood for his playmaking, protection, and management on the court docket.
Proctor’s sophomore marketing campaign noticed him named a group captain, solely the fourth sophomore to attain this in Duke’s historical past. His 2.95 assist-to-turnover ratio ranked twenty fifth nationally, showcasing his skill to regulate the sport whereas minimizing errors. He averaged 10.5 factors per sport and led his group in assists, asserting his position because the lead guard for the Blue Devils, who at instances ran a three-guard lineup final 12 months.
Lately, Proctor spoke with with HoopsHype to replicate on his basketball journey, his time in Australia’s NBA International Academy, his ideas on the fashionable sport, his school basketball expertise and extra.
Tyrese Proctor: It’s been nice. I’m simply gonna really feel for everybody, some has been nice. It’s been aggressive and I’m simply excited to get going.
TP: Coming in early 12 months, it was loads, nevertheless it was, you realize, I used to be prepared for the problem and had a strong two years. However you realize, I do know I’m able to far more and had an awesome summer time this summer time, and I’m simply prepared.
TP: I’m not likely attempting to show nothing, I’m simply attempting to win. I feel the most important factor for me is simply profitable. I need to be referred to as being a profitable participant and with the ability to play on groups with different nice guys and to have the ability to win.
TP: That’s one thing I’ve by no means paid consideration to. Coming from Australia, there’s not as a lot hype over there, so I’ve at all times been grounded. My household’s at all times stored me grounded. When you’re on social media, you’re gonna see it right here and there, however I simply attempt to keep off social media as a lot as I can and never concentrate on any of it.
TP: I imply, it’s cool. I lived with all these guys within the academy, have shut relationships with all of them. So, it’s simply cool how basketball in Australia is now being seen by the world, and the NBA has taken a giant leap as effectively. It’s getting much more eyes on it now. The sport is simply as bodily over there as it’s right here. The tempo of the sport is one thing I needed to get used to over right here, however in addition to that, it’s just about the identical basketball, and it’s nice being from Australia.
TP: I feel folks suppose I take a backseat in scoring and stuff like that, however I don’t suppose basketball is all about scoring. I can rating the ball, however I have to shoot the ball higher. I haven’t shot it as effectively the final two years, however I’ve been capable of rating the ball offensively. I feel I’ve carried out an awesome job defensively, leadership-wise, and stuff like that, however I really feel underrated and neglected as a scorer. Nevertheless, I don’t pay an excessive amount of consideration to that; I’m simply on the market attempting to make profitable performs and win video games. Whether or not I rating 20 factors one night time or 5 factors one other, it’s simply what I’ve to do to win.
TP: I imply, I’ll be watching the NBA as a complete. I watch my very own tape and concentrate on what I can get higher at every day.
TP: Simply my psychological toughness. The season is such a curler coaster; you will get misplaced in losses or large wins. I feel simply staying level-headed has been a giant space of progress for me. This 12 months, I’m the pinnacle of the ship, so I’ve acquired to verify I keep level-headed the entire 12 months.
TP: No matter coach needs, I’ll do. We performed with three guards final 12 months, so I used to be on-ball, off-ball. It doesn’t matter. No matter I’ve acquired to do to assist us win video games, I’ll do. Caleb (Foster) can deal with the ball, I can deal with the ball, everybody can, so there’s nobody specific man.
TP: I feel my mindset in regards to the sport. I don’t get misplaced within the exterior world or what folks count on. I’m locked in on profitable basketball video games and attempting to progress every day.
TP: I imply, Canada was good. It was one time we may go in and have a bit little bit of enjoyable and get used to taking part in in entrance of a crowd. But it surely’s nothing like taking part in in Cameron in entrance of the crazies. It was a very good expertise.
TP: I hadn’t seen Coop play earlier than Duke; I watched perhaps a sport or two on-line. However his day by day work ethic is spectacular. We’re within the gymnasium collectively on a regular basis, and his mindset – coming in and never worrying in regards to the media – is particular. He’s constant on each ends of the ground, and all of the freshmen are evolving into not being freshmen anymore. They’ve acquired to step up, and the faster we shift their mindset, the higher we’ll be. Isaiah, Darren, Pat – they’ve all actually impressed me, and we’ve acquired an awesome freshman class.
TP: Simply sharpening up my offensive sport. My physique was a giant factor too –holding my weight constant all through the season. I’ve acquired an awesome nutritionist now and have modified plenty of off-court habits that may assist me enhance on the court docket.
You possibly can observe Cyro Asseo (@CyroAsseo) on X, previously referred to as Twitter.