INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — From missing all but two games last season to being the third-leading scorer on the Cavs during their current 2025 NBA Playoffs run, Ty Jerome has had quite the journey in Cleveland. Now, he's focused on the team's ultimate goal, putting everything else out of mind while he creates an undeniable impact each night he takes the court.
Jerome has always had drive. He's self-motivated. A chip on the shoulder can go a long way, and although sometimes he uses external factors as motivation, Jerome doesn't need them to thrive.
"I think you've got to be careful where your validation comes from and where your motivation comes from because if you are getting all your motivation from the outside world and then all of a sudden it flips and now everyone loves you, your motivation runs out," Jerome said. "You hear it, it's hard not to hear it, and yes, you want to prove those people wrong, but it's more about what's inside you, what inspires you, how good you want to be for yourself and for your teammates. That's really what drives me more than someone counting me out or this or that."
Still, he did at times feel counted out last season. Dealing with an ankle injury that required arthroscopic surgery to correct, Jerome spent nearly all of last season rehabbing. He hadn't gotten a chance yet to show what kind of player he could be for the Cavs, but he could feel some doubt surrounding his role.
"I think everyone probably wrote me off individually last year. It's just part of basketball," Jerome said.
So what did Jerome do? He worked and he dreamed.
"When I'm doing my rehab and going through all that after surgery last year, this is kind of what I had in the back of my mind—getting healthy, be around these guys and come back and having a really strong year and being available for playoffs and being able to make this push with these guys," Jerome said.
Throughout the regular season, Jerome came alive. The work he put in reflected the belief he has within himself that he would return and be a force on the court.
Jerome wrapped up the regular season shooting 51.6% from the field and 43.9% from three, coming off the bench. He averaged 12.5 points a game, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.5 rebounds. When his number was called, he answered, night after night.
It quickly became clear Jerome wasn't just a healthy body or a role player for the Cavs. He is an impact player.
"I just try to not waste any time," Jerome said. "Don't waste any time and lock in. Start as soon as you get in the game to try to impact the game right away."
Jerome has become such a presence that he was named a finalist for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award. It was an honor that Jerome's stats proved he was worthy of. If you watched any Cavs game with him in the action, there would be no denying it.
The Cavs' guard came in third place in the voting, trailing Boston's Payton Pritchard and Detroit's Malik Beasley. Jerome praised his competitors for their seasons, and while not getting the award stung a bit, Jerome doesn't need those external motivations to be who he is.
"Obviously I wanted to win it. Those guys had great years, too. Payton Pritchard had a great year and Malik Beasley had a great year," he said. "Of course, I wanted to win it. Yeah, when it happened, I was like 'Damn,' but my mindset quickly shifted to the playoffs. Whether I won it or not, the journey keeps going."
That journey is happening right now. Heading into the second round of the playoffs after sweeping the Miami Heat in the first round, Jerome and the Cavs are preparing for the Indiana Pacers.
For Jerome, every experience in this part of the year is a new one. Seeing him shooting over 52% from the field and averaging more than 16 points a game in the first four postseason games, you might not be able to tell that this is Jerome's first NBA Playoffs appearance. That's because he feels like he's built for this.
"It's been great. Honestly these games are just a more intense version of the regular season in a way...it's still basketball, you're still shooting the same shot, you're still dribbling the same way, you're guarding the same people. Games are just more intense, games are a little more physical, more intense, and I love those games. I love those big games, those big moments. So it's a lot of fun," Jerome said.
From the fans to the "Cavalanche snow" that fell inside Rocket Arena, Jerome has been enjoying playoff energy in Cleveland. It sets the stage for the big games and for the big moments.
But while he lets himself have moments to enjoy the "now," he's got a big picture goal while taking everything one day, one practice, one game at a time.
"One hundred percent to win a championship, I think that's our goal. But we know how we get there is to focus on every day and to focus on getting better every day. Indiana is going to present a different challenge than Miami did, and taking that series one game at a time. You can't look ahead," Jerome said. "I'm 100% focused on Game 1 against the Pacers on Sunday. If you win Game 1, it's another step in the right direction. And you go from there."
Jerome and his teammates will take the court for Game 1 on Sunday inside Rocket Arena, where they'll look to push closer to their championship goals, and Jerome will look to keep making his impact on the game undeniable to all who watch him play.
