Proctor in ‘I won’t be denied’ mode, Cavs coach declares

• Donovan Mitchell says Tyrese Proctor has attacked preseason with "tenacity and hunger"
• Proctor played 50 games as a rookie, averaging 5.4 points in 10.9 minutes
• He spent three weeks in Hawaii with Patty Mills after two Boomers wins

Australian Boomer and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Tyrese Proctor has attacked his second NBA preseason with "tenacity and hunger", seven-time All-Star teammate Donovan "Spida" Mitchell has revealed.

Mitchell, 30, said after practice: “There's a tenacity and a hunger about him that I wouldn't say wasn't there last year, because he had a really good year last year when he was called upon. But I feel like he's coming in like last year never happened. You know what I mean?

“That's huge for a guy that came in and really played well in his spot time – I mean, starting and whatnot.

“He's gotten stronger. He's picking myself and James (Harden) up full court. He's kind of taking that Jaylon Tyson role last year, when I was telling you all about it.

"He's kind of taking that identity upon himself, which is really great to see.

“He's working out with me. He's working out with James. He'll probably text me in about 20 minutes about some film from practice. You know what I mean?”

Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson echoed Mitchell's assessment today, before the Cavaliers played their first preseason game against the Boston Celtics.

"I would say he’s one guy in preseason – and I think Donovan might, I think he alluded to this – but he’s in ‘I won’t be denied’ mode," Atkinson said.

“He’s like, there’s just certain guys that get to this bucket. Like, he’s desperate. Really playing desperate.

“I don’t think he’s gotten hit by a screen all preseason, you know, defending, guarding the ball. I think he knows we lost some defensive guys, right? You know, Dennis. Dennis was part of his kind of DNA.

“Like, who’s going to be that guy? Who’s going to be that guy that can come in and help turn a game defensively?

“So that’s where I’ve been impressed the most.

“And his physical gains this offseason have been – he took a huge leap. I do think the FIBA stuff helps with that, especially with the physicality, playing with Australia.

“I talked to the head of the Australian national team. He said, 'Man, Tyrese came in and just really kind of blew everybody away with his mentality, how he’s picking up', and, you know, really earned his keep, so to speak.”

The Cavaliers drafted Proctor with the 49th pick in 2025 after three years at Duke. He worked his way into the Cavaliers and played 50 games in his rookie season, averaging 5.4 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 10.9 minutes per game.

Proctor is listed as a third-string point guard (Harden and Craig Porter Jr.) and shooting guard (Mitchell and Sam Merrill) on the Cavaliers' depth chart ahead of the 2026-27 season, giving him the opportunity to build on his 545 minutes last season and become a genuine rotation role player.

The Sydney-born point guard averaged 19 points, three rebounds, and 3.5 assists in the Boomers' back-to-back wins against Guam and the Philippines before spending time with "FIBA Patty" Mills in Hawaii in the off-season.

"I put a lot of work in back home in Australia, working out with my people down there," Proctor said during his media day interview.

"Obviously, I had the qualifying games. Then I was in Hawaii for three weeks with Patty Mills, so I got a lot of reps up out there with him.

"I think I just mentally reset, and I'm ready to attack year two."

Proctor said his time with "FIBA Patty" was invaluable.

"A lot. He taught me a lot," Proctor added.

"Obviously, all the stuff on the court (footwork, technical stuff, balance, base), but a lot off the court, just with the NBA and the environments you play in and stuff like that.

"He's obviously had a great, successful career. He's still playing over in France with Tony Parker and that team.

"It was great to connect with Patty and spend three weeks with him and his family out in Hawaii.

"We'd connected a little bit here and there, but it was my first time being with him for a long, extended period."

The Cavaliers play their first game of the NBA preseason against the Boston Celtics on Friday, October 9 at 10am (AEDT) and their first game of the regular season against LeBron James' Philadelphia 76ers on Friday, October 23 at 10am (AEDT).