Among the successes for the Cleveland Cavaliers' 2024-25 season, the resurrection of guard Ty Jerome has stood out.
One year ago, Jerome was recovering from ankle surgery that forced him to miss nearly all of the 2023-24 season – his first with Cleveland.
“Last year was super tough,” said Jerome on 92.3 The Fan's The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima on Wednesday. “I tried everything I could to get my ankle right. Ended up needing surgery, which set me back another 3-4 months. I couldn’t get it back in time for the playoffs, so then, it was all about getting ready for this season.”
Though he wasn’t expected to become a major part of then-incoming Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson’s rotation, Jerome soon blossomed into one of the top bench players in the league. Through 50 games this season, Jerome is averaging 11.4 points over 19.1 minutes per game. He is shooting 51.6% from field goal range, as well as 42.7% from beyond the 3-point line.
It has been a whirlwind for the 27-year-old Jerome – as well as the Cavs, who sit atop the Eastern Conference at 44-10 and tied for the best overall record in the NBA.
“I’m not going to lie,” said Jerome. “I knew we were going to be really good. I didn’t think we’d start 15-0. The more we played together, the more we figured it out. [Atkinson] and the staff just do a great job of [telling] us that it’s all about getting better.”
Jerome added, “There’s definitely a swagger to us, that we’re playing with. It’s natural. It’s not fake. It’s not forced. It’s natural, and that’s really important.”
Jerome and the Cavs’ streak of good fortune continued just before the league trade deadline, when they acquired De’Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks. Hunter, a former teammate of Jerome’s at the University of Virginia, is a great addition for Cleveland, according to Jerome.
“I don’t want to undervalue losing Georges [Niang] or Caris [LeVert] – on or off the court. They were phenomenal players, and they brought a presence to our locker room. They will definitely missed, but De’Andre has been my best friend for some years.
“On and off the court, he’s going to bring something special for us.”
As for the remainder of the Cavs’ season, a significant goal for the team involves the top of the Eastern Conference.
“We definitely want the 1-seed. I’d be lying if I said we didn’t want that 1-seed. It comes down to us getting better every day, and if you don’t get any better before the playoffs start, we’re not going to make the run we want.”