Lightning happy to put the ball in Tate’s hands
Point guard Jaylon Tate, a former NBL Canada Rookie of the Year, is healthy and looking to put it all together with the Lightning in 2022.
(Photo: Bill Boswell / London Lightning).
* * *
Think of the hottest forge where you could fire a PTP* – Jaylon Tate wouldn’t even break a sweat in there. The 6-foot-3-inch point guard has steeled his game under the highest temperatures imaginable: Chicago Public School League. Big 10. NBA G-League. NBL Canada.
Maturing in that kind of heat wasn’t easy.
But at every point, the former NLB Canada Rookie of the Year has prided himself on having developed as a player and grown as a person – a trend he hopes to continue in the Forest City this season.
* * *
The Chicago Public School League is the real deal.
There is nothing like it in Canada – barely anything like it in the United States. Take some of the best players in the U.S., drop them into a few dozen high schools across a 600-square-km city, mix in school pride, televised games, and arenas bigger than the ones most NBL Canada franchises call home – then let them play.
Illinois High School Association (IHSA) state championships are the goal; city championships are about bragging rights. That order might change, depending on who you ask.
People still talk about the boys championship game between Westinghouse and Whitney Young that drew 20,000 fans to the United Center (home of the Chicago Bulls) in 2000.
Like I said, the Chicago Public School League is the real deal.
“We got a ton of exposure, traveled at a young age, played something like a college schedule. We had all the college coaches come watch us practice and play games. It got me prepared for the college level, for the professional level,” Tate said. “Playing in Chicago is tough. We’re definitely talking about the top of the top. It was always competitive, hard nose.”
Tate was at the point when Chicago Simeon won back-to-back IHSA state championships in 2012 and 2013, on a team that also featured two future NBA players (Jabari Parker and Kendrick Nunn).
“Playing at such a high level in front of big crowds and getting that exposure at an early age prepared me for college,” he said. “Of course, it’s not the same, because in college, I was playing in front of thousands every night, sold-out crowds. But high school was one of the best experiences of my whole life. I feel like every step I have taken has got me ready for the next step – and (high school) was really the first step.”
A three-star recruit coming out of Simeon, Tate traveled 220 km down Interstate-57 to play for the University of Illinois Fighting Illini in 2013-14. In his four years with the Big 10 hoops powerhouse, Tate played in 121 games, starting 35 of them, averaging 2.4 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 rebounds.
Those teams, however, were as notable for their assembled individual talent as they were for their underperformance as a team under head coach John Groce.
“I was blessed to have Coach Groce recruit me and get to play in my home state,” said Tate, who was joined at Illinois by Nunn. “But we fell short a few times throughout my years there, especially with the great talent we had.”
Tate found himself caught up in the turmoil of the Groce years. (The head coach was fired after Tate’s final season on the team.) It was a difficult environment in which to make mistakes and mature, with all the intense media and fan scrutiny that professionals face – but none of the experience to weather it.
That time went a long way to creating the man he is today, though, Tate says.
“At Illinois, I got better on and off the court, as a person, as a student, and as a player,” said Tate, who was named All-Academic Big 10 during his junior and senior seasons.
“I found out at Illinois how far I can push myself. In high school, it was really easy. I was one of the top players in high school, so I never really got pushed unless I played against other top players in the country. When I got to college, I saw the work I had to put in. I came in as an 18-year-old kid and I got my ass kicked the first week. I had to step it up. Put in extra work. So, I learned how to push myself to be better in all areas.”
(Photo: Bill Boswell / London Lightning).
* * *
Tate went undrafted by the NBA, but he didn’t feel prepared to head far from home and play overseas. That’s when he made his foray north.
In his first professional season, Tate averaged 13 points, 7.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds for the Niagara Rivers Lions in the NBL Canada in 2017-18. That was good enough to earn the league’s rookie of the year honours.
“I found a good situation for my first year. I was able to have the ball in my hands and make decisions and show my game. That helped me set up for the future,” Tate said.
He then headed to Europe, playing one season for Tampereen Pyrinto in the Finnish Korisliga (15 points, 4.8 assists, and 2.5 rebounds in 39 games) and 11 games for Swans Gmunden in the Austrian Basketball Bundesliga (9.5 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.2 rebounds), where he won the league championship.
Tate is also coming off a recent stint in the NBA G League, where he played seven games with the Golden State Warriors-affiliated Santa Cruz Warriors and one game with the Los Angeles Lakers-affiliated South Bay Lakers.
“G League was a real good experience. It is one of the top leagues in the world. There is a lot of NBA guys with talent playing in that league,” said Tate, who averaged 2.4 points, 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 assists in the 2021-22 season.
With the recent success of many G Leaguers getting called up to the NBA because of COVID protocols – including former Lightning player Xavier Moon’s Disney movie-worthy 30-day run with the Los Angeles Clippers – the world is witness to what Tate discovered firsthand last season.
“At the end of the day,” he continued, “it’s all about your situation and opportunity. Right now, you don’t know what can happen tomorrow. It’s good being in (G League) right now, always staying ready, because you never know when you’ll get the call. You have to make the most of any opportunity that you got.”
In December, the 27-year-old Tate re-signed with the Lightning for the 2022 season. So far, he is the only one of the Bolts’ six protected players to sign with the squad for this season.**
During his last tour in London, Tate played sparingly as he suffered an early season ankle injury that kept him out for most of the 2019-20 season. He played in just five games and averaged 6.4 points, 4.2 assists, and 1 rebound. Now healthy, the elite point guard looks to be a key to the Bolts’ success, head coach Doug Plumb says.
“I not only wholeheartedly trust and believe in his ability as a point guard, but I know the type of relentless work ethic and team-first mentality he brings to the organization,” Plumb said. “He’s had great experiences since he was with us last, both overseas and in the G-League, and he’ll be an even better version of himself.
“Everyone in our organization knows what he is capable of and what he’s all about. He embodies everything the City of Chicago and our organization strive to be – blue-collar, relentless, and a winner. We fully expect Jaylon to come in and establish the culture we will exude from day one.”
Tate was not a lock to return to the Lightning. When considering his options for 2022, he wanted an opportunity close to home, where he could continue to grow as a player and a person. But Plumb’s hiring made the decision easy.
“I love playing for Doug. I love who he is as a person and a coach. We just really connected those last couple years since I’ve played for him. I just loved being in London, good city, great fans. Last time, before the pandemic, we had a great chance for the championship. That's something I want to try to make happen again.
“I love what I do. I want to get paid for it, to be able to take care of my family because of it, to see a different side of life using basketball.”
—
* “Prime-time player” in classic 1980s Dick Vitale speak.
** Marcus Capers, Cameron Forte, A.J. Gaines Jr., Xavier Moon, and Terry Thomas being the other five Lightning protected players still unsigned.
There are some familiar faces, but there’s a sense of renewal in London as the Lightning embark on a new season. With a new coach and several new players, is a new era upon us? What to expect in 2024-25 …