Coming off the back of a full four-year spell at Chaminade University, Tyler Cartaino will begin the next step of his basketball journey with the Rockets next season. A 6’6” swingman who can operate effectively both on and off ball, Tyler is ready to bring valuable versatility and efficient scoring to the team for the 2021/22 season. 

Tyler’s time at college allowed him to play an incredibly high standard of basketball, regularly facing off against NBA-level talents when matched up against Division 1 college teams in the US, but he had to work hard for the opportunity to be a leading force for Chaminade’s team. His improvement year-on-year is staggering, starting as a role player in his first two years there before blossoming into a key piece of the team on both ends in the 2018/19 season and eventually leading the PacWest conference in scoring for the 2019/20 season on brilliant efficiency. His development is largely thanks to his excellent feel for the game, and watching film clearly shows how he has become comfortable in a number of roles on offense. His off-ball movement is deliberate and intelligent, using the threat of his smooth shooting to draw defenders out to him and creating opportunities to cut to the hoop for layups. He’s an impressive athlete too, an asset that enables him to hang in the air and finish tough shots as well as rise up for impressive blocks when defending in the paint.

Despite only just moving from college to professional basketball, Tyler is already a highly experienced player at the age of 23. His time at college saw him fill every role asked of him, and Coach Pearson sees the “size, versatility and capacity to score at a high clip” that he displayed in the US as key to the team next year. Coach also noted that Tyler’s college career ended with a full trophy cabinet, having won a range of awards that was capped off with a place on the All-PacWest First Team. Tyler’s success has given him the confidence to be a leading force for the team, hoping to “be a part of a winning culture and to bring a championship to the Rockets!”Tipping off his professional career with the Rockets, Tyler promises to bring energy and drive to the team every time he steps on the court. His progression through college has shown huge potential, and we can’t wait to see him make the next jump in the Rockets number 5 jersey!