The Cleveland Cavaliers used the No. 49 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to select Duke guard Tyrese Proctor, adding depth and shooting to their backcourt.
Proctor, a 6-foot-4¼ combo guard, played three seasons at Duke and accumulated over 1,100 career points. In his junior season, he averaged 12.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, with shooting splits of 45.2% from the field, 40.5% from three, and 68.0% from the free-throw line. He was named to the All-ACC Third Team in 2025 and previously earned ACC All-Freshman honors in 2023.
Renowned for his perimeter shooting, Proctor led Duke with 89 made three-pointers during the 2024–25 season. He hit 55.2% of his threes in the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by standout performances in the first two rounds, scoring 19 points with six threes against Mount St. Mary’s, and 25 points with seven threes in a win over Baylor. He ranked in the 94th percentile on jump shots according to Synergy Sports.
Proctor was also efficient in various shooting scenarios, converting 37.2% of his catch-and-shoot threes and 40.5% of his pull-up attempts. Despite shifting to more of an off-ball role this season, leading to a drop in assists from 3.7 to 2.2 per game, he remained effective as a secondary playmaker. He ranks fourth in Duke history with a 2.33 career assist-to-turnover ratio.
Physically, Proctor measured 183 pounds with a 6’7¼” wingspan and a 36.5″ vertical leap. Despite that, concerns linger over his athleticism. He made only 49.3% of his layups as a junior, struggling to finish at the rim and separate from defenders. Evaluators, including Kevin O’Connor, noted his lack of explosion and below-the-rim style of play as reasons for his fall into the second round.
Still, Proctor’s strong shotmaking, positional versatility, and high basketball IQ provide the Cavaliers with a valuable depth piece, especially with the uncertain free agency status of Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill. Although not expected to be a primary creator, he projects as a potential 3-and-D contributor or situational rotation guard.
Tyrese Proctor helped Duke win two ACC Tournament titles and was named to the 2025 ACC Tournament All-Tournament Second Team. He is currently ranked No. 31 on Jonathan Wasserman’s 2025 Prospect Big Board and draws comparisons to Knicks guard Landry Shamet due to his size, shot profile, and combo-guard skill set.
