Avon, Ohio \u2014 In the middle of Dick\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
One boy tugged on a black Cavaliers jersey with \u201cKemp\u201d stitched across the back. Proctor reached over to help him adjust the fit, ensuring it sat right. <\/p>\n
Past and future, stitched together in a department store aisle.<\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
Later, he advised a player crowding the footwear section on whether Nike slides would really hold up once Cleveland\u2019s winter rolled in.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
For the former Duke standout, it was more about planting a seed than making face as the new Cavalier in town.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Growing up] I attended camps … but I think giving back is a really important thing, just motivating the next generation,\u201d Proctor said. \u201cI talk to the guys one-on-one, especially with a smaller group, it\u2019s easier to talk and connect to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a philosophy rooted in the way he was raised.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
That perspective traveled with him to Cleveland, where he\u2019s already making good on the promise of being more than a second-round draft pick.<\/p>\n
A city and a rookie at a crossroads<\/p>\n
For Cleveland fans, none of this will matter without trust. The city embraces players who reflect its values. Humility. Grit. Authenticity. <\/p>\n
Matthew Dellavedova, another Australian guard, embodied that a decade ago. Proctor\u2019s path is different, but the relationships he sparked at Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods hints at the same kind of bond.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
But as much as his off-court work matters, timing has shifted the on-court picture, too.<\/p>\n
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\u2019 absence leaves the Cavaliers suddenly thinner with shooters capable of spacing the floor and creating controlled chaos in Kenny Atkinson\u2019s system.<\/p>\n
For Proctor, the Cavaliers\u2019 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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
For Proctor, it\u2019s both opportunity and responsibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m definitely going to connect with him and check up on him. I heard about it just before I got here,\u201d Proctor said on Tuesday. \u201cI think the biggest thing for me is just trying to learn off everyone. With him being out, I think he\u2019s a perfect guy I can learn off as well and just trying to see how I can implement my skills on the court.\u201d<\/p>\n
Connections that matter<\/p>\n
That word \u2014 connections \u2014 keeps circling back in Proctor\u2019s story.<\/p>\n
It ties together his roots in Sydney, his time at Duke, his first Cleveland event, and now his latest basketball opportunity.<\/p>\n
The nine kids who trailed him around Dick\u2019s Sporting Goods may not realize it yet, but they represent the first step of Proctor\u2019s Cleveland journey. They\u2019re the reminder that impact doesn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
And for the Cavaliers, that dual role \u2014 a rookie who gives back while being thrust into meaningful minutes \u2014 is rare. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a slow burner. It\u2019s such a long season, [I] sort of heard it from the first day I got here just how long the season is,\u201d Proctor said. \u201cI think just finding your routine, most importantly, just being yourself. Just being yourself and connecting and learning from everyone, and I\u2019m just being a sponge and trying to get myself on the court and just acclimated with everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\u2019s rotation.<\/p>\n
His first assist in Cleveland wasn\u2019t a pass on the court. It was helping a boy tug on a Shawn Kemp jersey, bridging the Cavaliers\u2019 past to their future. <\/p>\n
The bright light overhead was harsh, but the rook\u2019s meaningful gestures spoke loud and clear. Proctor\u2019s story here is just beginning, and it might grow brighter than anyone expected.<\/p>\n
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