How 'darkest time' in college shaped Tyrese Proctor

• Tyrese Proctor looks built for the NBA
• Tyrese Proctor: 'It feels like he belongs in the NBA'
• 'Talented as heck': Cavaliers coach on rookie Proctor's swag

Former Duke Blue Devils star now Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Tyrese Proctor has opened up on how the "darkest point" in his life after an Elite 8 loss in the NCAA Tournament shaped him into an NBA player.

Proctor enjoyed a successful career at Duke University but it wasn't without its ups and downs, from injuries to performances on the big stage which haunted him.

The 21-year-old joined NBL legend Jason Cadee on the latest edition of Cut to the Jase and spoke about how losing to North Carolina State in the Elite 8 at the 2024 NCAA Tournament motivated him for a successful junior year, where he helped the Blue Devils reach the Final Four.

"Losing what in the Elite 8 to NC State, I think I shot 0-from-9, we was up 20 ended up losing," Proctor said on the basketball.com.au podcast.

"That was probably one of the darkest, low points in my life after that game, it was my birthday the same day we lost too, so it was all happening.

"But I think my junior year, in summer my junior year, was the biggest sort of leap I took.

"I came back to Duke early, stayed in Durham, was working out with coach Jai Lucas, who's at Miami now. Every morning we'd wake up, work out and we just sort of built this routine.

"Then obviously the pieces that we had on the team last year just complemented my game to a big big point."

That Duke team, which went within one game of facing fellow Aussie Alex Condon and the Florida Gators in the NCAA Championship Game, featured several future NBA stars, including No.1 pick Cooper Flagg, Charlotte Hornets star Kon Knueppel as well as Sion James and Khaman Maluach.

It was during that tournament Duke coach John Scheyer got emotional during a press conference talking about the adversity Proctor had overcome during his college basketball career.

"This is the first year (since John Scheyer took over) that I'm not on the team," Proctor said.

"So we always joke about it. I went back a couple weeks ago, we were talking about it. But me and Coach (Scheyer), I mean that's the reason why I wanted to go to Duke.

"Obviously, I had relationships with all other players there and and stuff like that, but I mean he was the main reason why and he's the main reason why I came back for another two years."

Proctor also said he was keeping a close eye on this year's tournament, where Duke went down to UConn on a miracle logo three-point game-winner from Braylon Mullins.

The former BasketballAustralia Centre of Excellence scholarship holder and Sutherland Sharks junior recently returned to thecourt for the Cavaliers after a month on the sidelines with a quadriceps injury.