Not too long ago, Bryson Tiller went kayaking. It was his first time, so he was a bit out of his element. And while the Class II rapids did throw him off balance — and once into the water — the sailing was, overall, smooth. Figures.
Tiller, 18, just began his second season at Overtime Elite. The polished forward is the No.6 prospect in the class of 2025, per ESPN. His game is an aesthetically pleasing — and highly effective — blend of vintage and modern: silky and nuanced out of the midrange and post, buoyed by eye-popping multi-positionality on both ends.
Bryson Tiller used to being the young kid
Bryson has spent much of his basketball journey as the youngest player on the court. He starred at the powerhouse Pace Academy as a high school freshman. He hooped alongside kids three years above him while at AAU juggernaut ATL Express. When he signed with OTE in July 2022, at 17, he became the youngest player to join the Atlanta-based league (he's a native of the area). In his first campaign, he helped the City Reapers win a championship.
“I’ve been playing with older guys since I was about 13,” Tiller told ClutchPoints. “Just getting that good bump in, playing against bigger, stronger guys. It’s also a reason I came to OTE.”
Tiller fell for the game at nine years old while playing for his dad (still his “go-to guy”). His emotional investment in the sport coincided with his physical transformation. Suddenly, he was bigger, and better, than his peers. In an open run at 13, he dunked on an Arkansas Razorbacks center.
“It was my first ever poster.”
Tiller could have coasted along. Instead, he framed it as a challenge.
“I kind of realized I was different than everybody else. I had a talent. And as long as I keep working hard, I could use that for great things. Seeing how I progressed over the years, and seeing how good I was compared to other kids. It just motivated me to do better and be the best I could be.”
At Pace — a multiple-time state champion — Tiller averaged 12.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks. He was an honorable mention for all-state.
“That was kind of a growing year for me. I wanted to see how good I could get. Playing with seniors and guys that were ahead of me. Bigger, stronger guys. That was a year that I took to myself and I just wanted to grow as much as I could.”
Tiller's coach impressed by development
If you didn't know any better, you might assume Bryson has been on an NBA training regimen for years. City Reapers 2023-24 head coach Doug Martin — who spent three years as a player development coach in the Los Angeles Clippers organization — was astonished at the teenager's advancement.
“His size and how young he looked in the face stood out to me. He was maybe, 6’6, 6’7, at that time,” Martin recalls about seeing Tiller at Pace. “And then to show up here at OTE in August and see that he’s 6’9 and 235 pounds? It’s exciting. He’s matured and grown into that body.”
Along the way, Tiller correspondingly expanded his capabilities.
“I’m sure he thought he was going to be a long, athletic wing and develop his ball skills,” said Martin. “Now, he’s more of a 6'9”, 235-pound 4-man, small-ball 5. You want to continue to develop his ball skills, but also develop his back-to-the-basket, pinch-post game. And catch-and-shoot 3s.”
Tiller viewed OTE as another opportunity to “get comfortable being uncomfortable” (this mindset will serve him well in adulthood). After all, “getting adjusted to playing with better guys” has been key to his development.
“I definitely wasn’t the oldest. I wasn’t the quickest, the strongest. But, coming in here with the mindset that I’m ready to work and I’m going to face adversity. I’m going to face challenges. But, eventually, it’s going to end. I’m going to overcome it. It’s just a year to develop, on and off the court, become a better person, a better teammate.”
In his first campaign at OTE, Tiller averaged 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in 29.6 minutes per game for the Cold Hearts, before being traded to the City Reapers. His numbers slightly dipped with his new squad, though the Reapers won 11 of 12 games. In the finals, Tiller put up 14.3 points, 6.7 rebounds on 19-for-32 shooting.
Tiller's gracefulness can overshadow his athleticism. For instance, Martin believes Tiller’s second jump is an untapped asset.
“Bryson’s a really quick jumper. His second jump has to be just as important as his first. When he attempts to block the shot and he misses it, he typically stands to see if he can figure things out as opposed to just jumping again to get the basketball. But his quick twitches, open-court, dynamic athleticism is one of his most underrated things.”
Bryson Tiller a future Defensive Player of the Year?
With a 7'2 wingspan and economical court coverage, his switchability is elite, and his close-outs can be consuming. His coach sees Defensive Player of the Year potential.
“Look at the path Jaren Jackson Jr. had. I think that’s his pro comp. He can be a dynamic defensive player that can guard multiple positions in the NBA. He can be a great catch-and-shoot guy. And he can be a major defensive rebounder.”
Now, with a season under his belt, Martin wants to see Bryson mature as an on-ball creator and a leader.
For instance, Tiller can get to his midrange whenever he wants. He can cook in the post. Generally speaking, it isn't all that difficult for him to create a half-decent look for himself on any given possession. For him, operating out of those areas is typically a winning proposition — at least, at this level.
“If Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard and Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum can shoot 65 percent from mid-range, you allow them to do it,” said Martin.
Tiller listed KD, Kawhi and Tatum among his influences, along with Brandon Miller, Paul George and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
I ask why George is a favorite amongst prospective hoopers. “It’s just like how smooth he plays. Like, he can handle the ball. He can shoot. He can dunk. He’s just an overall player. Some say he has no flaws in his game. It’s really easy to love a player like that.”
(Off the court, Tiller cites LeBron James as an inspiration: “Being able to give back to the community where I come from, Atlanta, Georgia. It means a lot to me. Having people out here supporting me in the things that I do. Being able to give back, pour into kids, and help them get to the next level. LeBron James, the things that he does in the community and for those around him, it really sticks out to me.”)
In addition to improving his 3-point shot, evaluators would surely love to see Tiller enrich his playmaking bag without overcomplicating his intentions.
“With Bryson, I just have to give him the freedom to figure out who he is and what he is, but also challenge him to diversify his game,” noted Martin. “Challenge him to make it simpler. When you’re as highly skilled as he is, he gets — I don’t want to use ‘selfish’ as the word — but I think he wants to show everybody how skilled he is: ‘I want you to see this left-hand floater, even if I don’t have to shoot, even if it’s not the shot that’s needed right now.”
Part of this is fundamental skill development. The other part is reliant on attitude. Be a downhill stream of assertiveness. Keep his foot on the gas. Productively bully. Devour the barbecue chicken.
“Rebound the ball. Demand the basketball. Get the ball off the glass and push it as far as you can,” says Martin.
Playing with that type of voraciousness — while involving his teammates more within his playmaking — will help the soft-spoken 18-year-old stand out as a captain of the ship. Last year, he studied how Amen and Ausar Thompson led by example.
“Learning from those guys every day was really good for me. Seeing how they move on and off the court. I took that in and I’m implementing that into myself this year.”
“He’s really trying,” said Martin. “When things get difficult, you normally go back to what you’re most comfortable with, so I have to continue to make him uncomfortable. But also continue to encourage him to be a leader. What I explain to him a lot is: leaders aren’t ‘Come On!’ Guys. You have to raise your level and bring guys up with you.
“My starting five never practices together. I mix the teams up and sometimes I give him a really challenging team. The expectation is for him to raise the level of those guys he's playing with. Is that scoring all the points for that team? I don't know. You have to figure it out, Bryson.”
Martin is already seeing results. Tiller earned plaudits for his aggression at the OTE Combine in September. Over the first two games of the 2023-24 season, he has 21 rebounds, five blocks, and seven dunks. More importantly, the City Reapers are 2-0 with a +24 point differential.
In the coming months, Tiller will decide whether to continue his development at a top Division I program or reclassify into the 2025 NBA Draft. In the meantime, though, he's focused on making his mark on Overtime Elite.
“The things that he and I have talked about: He wants to win a championship here,” said Martin. “He wants to be the best player in the league. He wants to be the MVP. He wants to get all the college offers to put him in a position to play at the highest level.”
Above any measurable, second-jump, or running floater, though, Bryson has been able to kayak through the choppy waters of the youth basketball world thanks to one essential quality: A genuine love for the game.
“He truly, truly, loves it,” said Martin. “A lot of kids these days, they work out and they wake up the next morning and they expect to be as good as they’re going to get. I think Bryson truly understands that it’s a process for him and he’s just scratching the surface of how good he can be.”
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