Avon, Ohio — In the middle of Dick’s Sporting Goods, with the bright summer sun almost blinding, stood rookie Tyrese Proctor in a new city, watching nine kids from the Cleveland Police Athletic League scatter into the aisles with $150 gift cards in hand. Proctor followed them with a wide grin, weighing in on decisions big and small.
One boy tugged on a black Cavaliers jersey with “Kemp” stitched across the back. Proctor reached over to help him adjust the fit, ensuring it sat right.
Past and future, stitched together in a department store aisle.
Proctor even hopped in on a debate about whether black socks were strictly for around the house or acceptable in public, trading laughs and smiles.
Later, he advised a player crowding the footwear section on whether Nike slides would really hold up once Cleveland’s winter rolled in.
None of it was scripted. None of it was for show. It was the first glimpse of how the 21-year-old Australian rookie hopes to root himself in a city just over two months since being selected with the 49th pick.
For the former Duke standout, it was more about planting a seed than making face as the new Cavalier in town.
“[Growing up] I attended camps ... but I think giving back is a really important thing, just motivating the next generation,” Proctor said. “I talk to the guys one-on-one, especially with a smaller group, it’s easier to talk and connect to them.”
It’s a philosophy rooted in the way he was raised.
Back home in Sydney, Australia, Proctor was one of the kids running around at youth camps hosted by the Sydney Kings of the NBL. It made basketball feel bigger than a game.
At Duke, the theme continued. Proctor took part in community events with local Boys and Girls Clubs around Durham, linking with kids who reminded him of himself.
That perspective traveled with him to Cleveland, where he’s already making good on the promise of being more than a second-round draft pick.
A city and a rookie at a crossroads
For Cleveland fans, none of this will matter without trust. The city embraces players who reflect its values. Humility. Grit. Authenticity.
Matthew Dellavedova, another Australian guard, embodied that a decade ago. Proctor’s path is different, but the relationships he sparked at Dick’s Sporting Goods hints at the same kind of bond.
Proctor has the chance to carve out his own version of that bond, starting not with a 3-pointer or a steal, but with a shopping spree for kids who will remember his face far longer than they remember what sneakers they bought.
But as much as his off-court work matters, timing has shifted the on-court picture, too.
Darius Garland underwent toe surgery in June and is expected to be eased back carefully as training camp approaches. Max Strus had surgery this month to repair a Jones fracture, sidelining him three to four months. Strus’ absence leaves the Cavaliers suddenly thinner with shooters capable of spacing the floor and creating controlled chaos in Kenny Atkinson’s system.
For Proctor, the Cavaliers’ sudden gaps mean his jersey could be more than just a warm-up top. They open the door for Proctor in ways most second-round picks don’t see so soon. His size (6-4), shooting touch (40.5% from deep in his final season at Duke), and composure could allow him to sneak into a rotation spot early, especially while the Cavaliers wait for their full backcourt and depth to stabilize.
For Proctor, it’s both opportunity and responsibility.
“I’m definitely going to connect with him and check up on him. I heard about it just before I got here,” Proctor said on Tuesday. “I think the biggest thing for me is just trying to learn off everyone. With him being out, I think he’s a perfect guy I can learn off as well and just trying to see how I can implement my skills on the court.”
Connections that matter
That word — connections — keeps circling back in Proctor’s story.
It ties together his roots in Sydney, his time at Duke, his first Cleveland event, and now his latest basketball opportunity.
The nine kids who trailed him around Dick’s Sporting Goods may not realize it yet, but they represent the first step of Proctor’s Cleveland journey. They’re the reminder that impact doesn’t have to wait for a box score. That a second-round pick can still feel like a face in a community if he shows up with intention.
And for the Cavaliers, that dual role — a rookie who gives back while being thrust into meaningful minutes — is rare.
Most second-rounders spend their first year bouncing between practice courts and the G League. Proctor could spend his walking into a rotation and walking out into a city that already feels like he belongs.
“It’s a slow burner. It’s such a long season, [I] sort of heard it from the first day I got here just how long the season is,” Proctor said. “I think just finding your routine, most importantly, just being yourself. Just being yourself and connecting and learning from everyone, and I’m just being a sponge and trying to get myself on the court and just acclimated with everyone.”
Usually, rookies fade into the background their first season. Proctor could instead emerge as both a recognizable face in Cleveland and a contributor in Atkinson’s rotation.
His first assist in Cleveland wasn’t a pass on the court. It was helping a boy tug on a Shawn Kemp jersey, bridging the Cavaliers’ past to their future.
The bright light overhead was harsh, but the rook’s meaningful gestures spoke loud and clear. Proctor’s story here is just beginning, and it might grow brighter than anyone expected.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.