After a strong four years as a star player for Ole Miss basketball, Breein Tyree is looking to go pro.
The Daily Mississippian recently sat down with Tyree to discuss his invitation to the NBA combine.
“(It’s) definitely big time for me,” he said. “It’s always been in my plan to build a resume, to get to the next level, and I think I did that with my college career. It’s great news, but I was kind of expecting it.”
Tyree also said he hopes to show coaches and scouts at the combine a different set of skills than they saw from him during his undergraduate career.
“I want to show that I can run a team. I didn’t really get to play point guard at Ole Miss my last three years,” he said. “People mainly know me as a guy that just scores, but that was a role carved out for me at Ole Miss, and I could play a whole other role at the next level.”
The NBA combine invite list came out in late July, and Tyree said the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly impacted his ability to prepare himself for the combine.
“I couldn’t get in the gym for like the first month and and a half, but honestly, it was a blessing just because I got to rest my body after four years in college.”
Now, Tyree has been set up by his agency to work out and do daily treatment in Atlanta.
Ole Miss head coach Kermit Davis said he is certain that Tyree will make it onto an NBA team.
“Breein is very deserving of the NBA combine invitation,” Davis said. “I know he didn’t get the NBA workouts like we all wanted because of COVID-19, but he has such impressive game film versus the very best teams in America by competing in the SEC. There is no question, in my mind, that Breein will make an NBA roster at some point in his career.”
In multiple mock drafts from the likes of ESPN, Bleacher Report, and others Tyree is projected to go undrafted. Last year, former Ole Miss Rebel Terrence Davis was in a similar position with his name not appearing on many mock drafts, and ended up going undrafted. Tyree said Davis is a role model for Ole Miss players.
“TD (Terrence Davis) really has been paving the way for me and everybody coming out of Ole Miss,” Tyree said. “He acts like a pro, and you know, I’m really thankful that he’s doing well because it’s really helping me out as I’m trying to go through this process”
Because of COVID-19, and the extended NBA season the NBA has canceled its Summer League which is an opportunity for teams to get a feel for the players they have drafted, but it can also be a major opportunity for players in similar situations to Tyree.
Last year when Terrence Davis went undrafted, he was able to secure a spot on the Raptors through his impressive play in summer league. Without the summer league the at times obsolete NBA combine may be Tyree’s only chance to get himself in front of NBA scouts and coaches.
Only time will tell if Tyree is NBA ready. However, he did say that he was excited for the potential of this year’s Rebels, highlighting guys like Cal State Bakersfield transfer Jarkell Joiner, Devontae Shuler and Khadim Sy.
“Every time I talk to Shuler, he’s leaving the gym,” Tyree said. “Jarkell Joiner, after sitting out last year, is going to take on a large role when it comes to scoring… Khadim is a real talent and he can shoot the three, and as he gets more comfortable with Coach Davis and the guys around him, he will really take off.”
