by Alex Schwartz

Not many teenagers are followed around by film crews. Then again, Jeremy Tyler '10 is not your average teenager. Standing 6'9, the rising junior at San Diego (CA), is an imposing physical specimen. That's not the only thing that sets Tyler apart from his peers: his play on the hardwood is likely the main factor. Widely regarded as a top 10 baller in the class of 2010, Jeremy Tyler is always in the spotlight. He has performed so well in this spotlight that he earned a spot in the Boost Mobile Elite 24 Classic. Tyler was one of four highly regarded class of 2010 big men in the game, along with Texas-commit Tristan Thompson of St. Benedict's (NJ), Josh Smith of Kentwood (WA), and Ohio State-commit Jared Sullinger. Tyler certainly held his own and had a solid showing at the event. I spoke with the talented West Coast stud after his Blue/Skip to My Lou squad won the scrimmage the day before the actual game.

NB: What’s it been like being followed by a film crew?
JT: It’s cool. At first it was kind of nerve-wracking because everybody was joking around [and] talking about it, but . . . everybody got used to it, I got used to it.

NB: What did your friends say at first? Some of your close friends, what did they say at first? Were they making fun of you or did they think it was cool?
JT: No, [they] were like, . . . ‘I’m [going to] be in it, I’m [going to] be in it.’ They were so excited the cameras were around, but they didn’t know that for the first week they had cameras there but they weren’t filming anything, they were just doing it. So once everybody got used to it and stopped playing in the cameras they turned them and entered the school.

NB: What colleges are you currently thinking about?
JT: I have really no school in mind right now.

NB: Which schools are showing interest in you right now?
JT: A lot, like all of them.

NB: Is there a school you’ve always dreamed of playing for?
JT: No, I wasn’t really into basketball when I was younger. I just started playing basketball in [around] eighth grade, so I haven’t really looked into colleges like that.

NB: What do you see as the strongest point in your game?
JT: Probably my intensity, my approach to the game, . . . trying to work hard every game.

NB: What’s the weakest point [of your game]?
JT: [Pause] Well, honestly everything is not [a] strong point, so everything to me is weak because it isn’t there yet. So if it isn’t there—like he [one of the panelists] said , ‘if you aren’t going forward you [are going] back.’ So if I’m not going forward then I’m staying back. So, all my . . . strong points are weak points so I just got to get better every day.

NB: Who would you compare you compare your game to? . . . Who do you think you play like?
JT: At points I play like Amare Stoudemire and at points I play like Tyson Chandler.

You know you are a star when a film crew is following you and you aren't even old enough to vote. Although Tyler is by no means a perfect player, he certainly has talent and potential. Jeremy is a gifted post player who could develop into a truly special baller with a lot of hard work. He showed some positives and some negatives in his game at the Elite 24 Classic. Jeremy Tyler has the ability to become a true star down the road, and he is already on his way.

Note- photo is from http://scouthoops.scout.com/.