In June 2023, when ESPN released its way-too-early mock draft, one name was added to the NFL fandom’s radar. And the name is none other than, Tyrese Proctor who was a potential lottery pick at 12th overall. But now, after the Duke win against North Carolina, that projection might be in for an upgrade.
In the game against the Tar Heels, No. 2 Duke went on to win 82-69. And Tyrese Proctor had a major role. Proctor went on to score 16 points and to make it even better, 10 of them were in the first half! With that iconic win, Duke comfortably took the No. 1 seed for the ACC Tournament. So, who are the people behind the rise of this prodigal player?
Tyrese Isn’t the First of the Proctor Clan To do Big Things on the Hardcourt
Proctor’s journey to the 16 points is not by chance. It is in fact, one that is rooted in his DNA. Proctor was born on April 1, 2004, in Sydney, Australia, and grew up with basketball embedded in his very core. All thanks to his father, Roderick Proctor.
Roderick is a former professional basketball player. With his roots in Mississippi, Roderick played college basketball at Mississippi College. On the college team, he played as a point guard, leading his team to a Gulf South Conference title in the 1993-94 season. And his stats are pretty great too.
Tyrese Proctor’s father has 283 career assists and an average of 2.6 assists per game. Evidently, Roderick was a playmaker before his son ever picked up a ball. However, Roderick’s basketball story didn’t end in the U.S. He took his talents all the way back to the Australian basketball scene.
In Australia, Roderick went on to play for the Bankstown Bruins and eventually captained the West Sydney Slammer in 1997.
Post this, he led the Sydney Comets to three straight Waratah League Championship wins from 2002 to 2004. Roderick played a total of 18 seasons and earned multiple awards including the Peter Lopez Most Inspirational Player Award and the NSW State League Player of the Year Award.
Now with a portfolio like that, it comes as no surprise that Tyrese Proctor fell in love with the hard courts early on. His father introduced him to basketball when he was just 2 years old.
KEEP READING: Top 10 NIL Deals in Men’s College Basketball
While Tyrese did explore other sports like cricket, soccer, and baseball, basketball was the one that stuck.
Tyrese even went on to play with the Sutherland Sharks and later represented New South Wales at national championships. In 2021, he earned a scholarship to the prestigious NBA Global Academy in Canberra.
All of that before, he ended up as the guard for Duke. And there is no doubt that the Tyrese Proctor is only just beginning.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
