Jeremy Tyler signs with Maccabi Haifa

By BERNIE WILSON, AP Sports Writer Aug 13, 12:33 am EDT

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SAN DIEGO (AP)—Jeremy Tyler completed his jump from high school underclassman to pro basketball player on Wednesday when he signed a one-year, $140,000 contract with Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Premier League.

Tyler, 18, is the first American-born player to leave high school early to play basketball professionally overseas. The 6-foot-11, 260-pound Tyler announced in the spring that he was skipping his senior season at San Diego High because prep basketball had become boring.

“I think I made the right decision,” Tyler told The Associated Press on Wednesday evening. “I think this team is a good fit for me and it’s the right country.”

Tyler averaged 28.7 points during his junior season.

“I feel good. I feel blessed,” he said. “I got past the easy part. Now the hard part is to perform and show the world I got a contract for a reason. Now I can play against grown men.”

Tyler’s agent, former NBA point guard B.J. Armstrong, said several offers were carefully considered.

“It’s a huge step for him and his family and the things he’s about to get into,” Armstrong said. “The basketball will be the easiest part in this equation. Now he’s got to get things adjusted off the court to what a professional does, how he lives. It’ll be a challenge. The rest will take care of itself.”

Sonny Vaccaro, the former shoe company executive who’s been advising Tyler and his family, said Maccabi Haifa is a good fit for several reasons.

“I think it’s a very good deal for Jeremy because it’s a good team, he’ll play, they speak English and he’ll learn there,” Vaccaro said. “The reason we did one year was because it will give Jeremy time to understand how hard it is to be a professional, then he’ll do whatever he wants to do next year.”

Vaccaro said Tyler had five other offers, including one from a team for more money, “but Jeremy, his family and I decided it was more important to have a chance of playing than making a couple extra dollars. If Jeremy is who he’s supposed to be, he’ll earn a lot of money in his lifetime.”

In early May, Tyler told The AP that he was tired of facing triple-teams, being hacked and being limited to playing the middle when he felt he had much more to his game.

“I was the best player in San Diego this year and it was boring. Next year, it would be extremely boring,” Tyler said then. “I’d go into the game with no enthusiasm.”

Tyler is expected to return to the United States when he becomes eligible for the 2011 NBA draft.

“My goal is to become one of the greatest,” Tyler said Wednesday.

Tyler said he likes that Israel is a small country and that the team has young talent that can develop.

“He has a tremendous upside,” said Andrew Wilson, a spokesman for American businessman Jeffrey Rosen, who owns Maccabi Haifa. “He’s definitely got a lot of talent and is hungry, and we’re an up-and-coming team, as the team has been in the Premier League only one year, so it seems like a very nice fit for us.”

Maccabi Haifa was promoted to the Premier League after a 10-year absence and earned its first appearance in both the Israeli Premier League championship game as well as the State Cup Finals. The team has re-signed forward Davon Jefferson of Southern Cal.

Maccabi Haifa opens its season on Oct. 25.

“Tyler’s size and natural talent will present matchup problems in our favor against other teams in Israel,” coach Avi Ashkenazi said in a statement. “We know Tyler is hungry to prove himself on the court. We look forward to him developing over the course of the season and improving our team.”

Wilson said Rosen bought the North American rights to Premier League games and plans to stream Maccabi Haifa games live on www.triangleinternet.tv as a way to promote the league in the United States.

Updated Aug 13, 12:33 am EDT
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36 Comments

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  1. Brian
    36. Posted by Brian Sat Aug 15 11:31pm EDT

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    Maybe he doesn't have the brains or grades to get into college
  2. Hate You
    35. Posted by Hate You Sat Aug 15 5:24am EDT

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    Maybe i miss something. The kid is getting 140k. Even if he dies after the contract is signed he will have that money. 1 more year of high school does not equal that. But i bet the school will be making a lot more money. Charging more for games, and even televising it. Like when Lebron's st.Mary st. vincent team went up against Carmelo's Oak Hill Academy. I am sure the schools did not make any money off of it. And when he goes to Louisville. Yeah, taking the scholarship of someone who really needs a college education. Louisville stands nothing to gain, right. How is he going to make more money. NBA looks at talent, not education. Lebron James getting paid less than Chris Duhon? Cuz Chris went to Duke for 4 years. Lebron is straight out of High School. How about Kobe? Is he more stupid because he skipped college? What if Jeremy is not as good as he claims to be? Then he would of made 140k.
  3. Hate You
    34. Posted by Hate You Sat Aug 15 4:23am EDT

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    Don't get me wrong, I am not stating that everybody should tell their kids to do this. Because quite honestly, your kid is not 6'11" and play like Jeremy. Second of all GED or diploma does not matter to mickey Ds. Lets be realistic how many people straight out of high school is getting a 70k job. please not everyone at once. ppl act like its the end of the world if the kid does not get a diploma or go to college. what good is one year of college going to do for him. cuz we know he is coming out after he is eligible. say he does and tear his acl, now how many pro team is going to look at him. think Brandon jennings is hating that he spent a paid year in europe compare to some of the other folks who went to college. he's there for two years and he is in the spotlight all the time as the kid who skipped high school to go to college. pro scouts are always going to be checking him out. I say good move Jeremy.
  4. T-fence
    33. Posted by T-fence Fri Aug 14 8:11pm EDT

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    If he was a slacker, he wouldn't be able to pass the GED exam....
  5. LSCEO
    32. Posted by LSCEO Fri Aug 14 7:49pm EDT

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    To HATE YOU, calling me an idiot is way out of line! You're name is totally right... Hate, you must hate that fact that education is KING! You say that he's right for taking the money...WELL, I played overseas and yes, they treat us well, but if you want to get financially into the scheme of things... he would have MADE MORE if he waited. They knew that they could get the kid by offering those type of dollar signs. And don't even think of insulting me because I made much more than him.

    To say that he CAN get his GED is just plain @#$% STUPID! Especially when he just had 1 year left and NO LEGITIMATE reason for leaving. They wanted him before any NBA scout got to him and yes HE more than likely was probably a slacker, but that's not All big time athletes. Hell, I graduated number 7 in my class. I do understand your views and arguments, but for us to keep telling our kids that it's OK to do this is just unreal. I know this is common with Baseball and Tennis, but I don't like it there either. I wish the kid health and prosperity AND a good agent. They'll take the kid's little money and break him. I pray that he does well and continue his education. I know that he can get a tutor or whatever, but most of the time they don't. That's real!
  6. Lind
    31. Posted by Lind Fri Aug 14 4:46pm EDT

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    Isreal rules!!!!
  7. Hate You
    30. Posted by Hate You Fri Aug 14 3:58pm EDT

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    To all you idiots that think this is a bad idea. First he gets 140k for 2 years of service. More than most college grads. Louisville has no guarantee that if he goes there he is getting in the NBA or a 70k job when he graduates. He can always get his GED for Free. Second, the college can give that deserving scholarship to some one who needs it. Like another bench player who will never make it in the NBA. Pro contracts in other countries usually include room and board, a car, chauffeur, a personal chef and open gym. So far no one has really given a reason to stay in school. People, this is public California school, teaching yourself would be better.
  8. Larry Rogers
    29. Posted by Larry Rogers Fri Aug 14 2:18pm EDT

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    Novel concept: Just maybe he will go to wherever he's going and play professional ball and attend H.S. at the same time...it is possible in those countries!!!
  9. <i>black_baller08</i>
    28. Posted by black_baller08 Fri Aug 14 12:07pm EDT

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    This kid is an idiot, he left school because high school basketball got boring, your team sucked because you was a ball hog. the real reason is probably you didnt have the grades to get into a d-1 school. just like brandon jennings. why wont yall take some time and do some work instead of worrying about basketball and girls. good luck but you will more than likely regret this
  10. <i>lav1daloca</i>
    27. Posted by lav1daloca Fri Aug 14 6:16am EDT

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    One more thing, just because you have a HS Diploma or went 4years to college without graduating or perhaps even if you graduate with D's that is still not gonna get u a job anywhere because these kids don't study in HS or college, they just go there to play ball. So even if he would have stayed in HS or even went to college that wouldn't be a guarantee that he would be any smarter because I've seen it, these kids live in a world where the only thing they know is NBALive, xbox, and the dream of making some money playing somewhere because they know they don't know anything and nobody would hire them for anything but stack boxes at a FedEx warehouse.

    I say get the money now while you can because there is no guarantee if you choose to stay in school, when they'll know they won't study and enhance their education, that a degree is going to benefit them in any way. There is also a chance that you can get hurt in HS or college and diminish your pro dreams. Go play pro as soon as you can if you know you're not going to study. Your chances of making the NBA get slimmer though unless you're 16 and stand at 6'11! Btw, while you're a pro you can still hire a tutor and enhance your education that way.

    Mixing sports in school is only a stupid idea the US has. Schools make billions every year off of players who are not allowed to even get endorsements, how stupid is that?

    As a former college athlete, it's a huge blow to athletes and honestly i think it's a scam.
  11. Tom and Tamara
    26. Posted by Tom and Tamara Thu Aug 13 10:36pm EDT

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    I agree he should of stayed in school. Basketball money will come. Education should come first. Everything else will fall into place.
  12. Dennis
    25. Posted by Dennis Thu Aug 13 9:06pm EDT

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    Shame on BJ Armstrong. I'm sure he had better advice back in his day.
  13. Mr Common Sense
    24. Posted by Mr Common Sense Thu Aug 13 8:27pm EDT

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    Hell, If the dumb ass hole would have stayed in high school until graduation, he would be 30 years old - way past his prime. Let him play in the mideast.
  14. VickDawg
    23. Posted by VickDawg Thu Aug 13 6:14pm EDT

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    Wasnt this guy committed to play for Louisville? Him and Rick could be help the conditioning coach triple team his wife.
  15. Yong-Chu K
    22. Posted by Yong-Chu K Thu Aug 13 6:09pm EDT

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    To Devin, I agree with you that if the kid could have gotten paid for his skills he should get it. The part that I disagree with is that the 140K is enough as it represents potentially less than what he could get through 4 years of free college (it would cover less than 3 years at some private colleges or out of state colleges nowadays). If he flops at the next level or gets injured, it would be easier to get a college scholarship than play for an NBA team. It makes more sense to make the jump if you can make more than that amount. Yes to a 16 year old kid $140K is a lot, but then $50K may sound like a lot to a 16 year old. To me, it is more about the value of that option that is discarded by going pro early. But to say that he is completely stupid for doing this is unfair, as many baseball players do the same thing when they join the minors. Just because they got the HS diploma does not mean their prospects outside the sport are any better than this kid. Besides, he can go get a HS degree later (he can pay for one), or even get a private tutor to get it while playing overseas. It makes no difference whether he gets it from attending a HS physically or getting through correspondence.
  16. <i>reedmaca</i>
    21. Posted by reedmaca Thu Aug 13 6:00pm EDT

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    He should have gotten a little more money out of the deal. The risk is now all of him to succeed. 140K for one yr is really hard.

    I hope he does well.
  17. LSCEO
    20. Posted by LSCEO Thu Aug 13 5:42pm EDT

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    One more thing for you who SUPPORT this.... what the hell are you thinking?!?!? The only leverage I would give a kid on this position would be IF and ONLY IF his family needed it, but another year wouldn't have killed the kid. Just because he's getting bored??? You're getting a quality education and as long as you aren't "bored" with that, then you're fine. That simple.
  18. LSCEO
    19. Posted by LSCEO Thu Aug 13 5:28pm EDT

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    I'm sorry, but WTF!!!! Who in the HELL are your parents? When the F*** did playing sports become more important than getting your damn high school diploma???? I guess he was too dumb to pass his senior year! This is REALLY starting to get outrageous! I mean, I was blessed to be an all-star athlete and I had many, MANY opportunities, but my parents would have SHOT ME if I ever thought that anything was more important than my education. At least your high school diploma man!!! No wonder everyone looks at us blacks in that stereotypical form! To get somewhere, you have to be able to run or handle a ball. This is just sad! I now finally see what other countries see us for. Uneducated bullies! So sad. Good luck on not getting hurt because you won't be able to get a job any other way. Oh yeah... have fun getting that "Good Enough Diploma" (GED for dummies) !
  19. Devin
    18. Posted by Devin Thu Aug 13 3:55pm EDT

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    I understand what you are saying Yong-Chu K but my point is, what 16, or 17 year old do you know makes $140k per year? I don't know anyone!! Yeah he probably could get more somewhere else overseas but right now, to me, that's a helluva lot of money! And in this economy too!!!
  20. Joshuah
    17. Posted by Joshuah Thu Aug 13 2:41pm EDT

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    Anyone remember Wayne Rooney? He played his first English Premiership game at 16 and makes a lot of money right now. If he had grown up in the States we would have made him wait until he was 18 to play at that level. I congratulate these players who are the best of their generation for quitting school and trying to play more competitive ball else where. We need to get ride of sports from school and concentrate on educating the ones that want to be educated.
  21. Yong-Chu K
    16. Posted by Yong-Chu K Thu Aug 13 12:45pm EDT

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    To Devin, you should include the tuition, room and board in what you made during college. If you went to a private school, that was potentially $40K a year. If this kid wanted to go to college later, he would have to pay that himself. The reason kids leaving college makes sense is that they can make a ton of money right away, so if they want to pay for college later, it would be easy. Making $140K helps, but it does not pay for 4 years at some colleges, esp after taxes and agent fees are deducted. Most top colleges will give the kid 4 years even if he injures himself, even though they are obligated only for one year. So it doesn't seem to make much sense. And Devin, just because you make $30K a year does not mean that most people coming out of college make $30K 10 years into their careers. Most make more annually, which would make the onetime 140K look small. He should have gotten paid somewhere around 500K for what he is giving up.
  22. Troy B
    15. Posted by Troy B Thu Aug 13 12:27pm EDT

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    So what most of you are saying is the the moto of the Educational System should be: "If you're bored with High School and are the BEST player in your sport, then drop out of school, sign a big contract with a foreign team and that will solve all your problems."

    Sounds just like Bryce Harper. He dropped out of High School at the age of 16. Just because he can hit 500 foot homeruns, throw 98 mph and play 6 different positions.

    Seriously? Finish school!! Then be the BEST player in you sport professionally. And don't make dumb comments like, “I was the best player in San Diego this year and it was boring. Next year, it would be extremely boring.” And then have your agent, a former NBA player say, "If Jeremy is who he’s supposed to be, he’ll earn a lot of money in his lifetime.” That may be true. He might earn a lot of money in his lifetime, but finish school.

    It may work out for these guys. And it might not. What happens when it doesn't? I wish them all the luck, but deep down inside I hope it goes all wrong, just to teach a little lesson.
  23. ghsfcal
    14. Posted by ghsfcal Thu Aug 13 10:29am EDT

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    Have no problem with him going pro but question whether giving up his shot at playing one or two years of college ball is a good idea. There is likely to be better coaching in the NCAA than overseas pro leagues & much better exposure -- which could greatly enhance his potential value as an NBA pro (presuming he's good enough). The money he's making now is obviously just chump change relative to the NBA stakes. Tough decision for an 18-year old kid.
  24. <i>lmkuritzky</i>
    13. Posted by lmkuritzky Thu Aug 13 10:17am EDT

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    I think its great...I have no problem with a person earning a living...many people leave HS early to make money...its far better than the farce of someone being in college and not going to class.....the US should develop a minor league system and then they dont have to leave the country....but lets leave college for people who want an (advanced) education. The prob in the US is that the NBA is to cheap to build a minor league system and the universities prostitute themselves by becoming a free one!!!
  25. alice e
    12. Posted by alice e Thu Aug 13 9:00am EDT

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    Tyler good luck buddy get ready to hear all kinds of racist insults . . .
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