Tyler Betsey: Three Thoughts on Cincinnati's Latest Commitment

Wes Miller flexed his recruiting chops on Friday when four-star small forward Tyler Betsey committed to Cincinnati. Betsey is the Bearcats’ second commitment of the 2024 class, joining four-star power forward Tyler McKinley. 

This class comes on top of a 2023 class that ranked No. 23 in the On3 Team Recruiting Rankings. That two-man class included four-star point guard Jizzle James, son of NFL Hall of Fame running back Edgerrin James, and four-star small forward Rayvon Griffith.

Let’s jump into what Cincinnati is getting with Tyler Betsey.

Who is Tyler Betsey?

Tyler Betsey is the No. 24 player in the 2024 On3 150 and the No. 14 small forward in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. The 6-foot-8 wing from Oakdale (CT) St. Thomas More School chose Cincinnati over a final group that also included UConn and Alabama. 

Betsey earned 2023 Gatorade Connecticut Player of the Year honors after averaging 21 points, five rebounds, and three assists. On Nike’s EYBL Circuit this summer, Betsey averaged 11.7 points and 3.4 rebounds on 34.1 percent shooting from three. This is down from the 42-plus percent he shot from three last summer. 

“I’m more comfortable as a basketball player right now,” Betsey told On3. “I think that’s the biggest thing for me. I’m able to play more aggressively no matter who I play with because I know who I am. I’m a versatile wing who can handle it a little, but I can really shoot it, and I can guard the one through four, even the five sometimes. My defensive versatility is something that will keep me on the floor. That’s what I do.”

What does he bring to Cincinnati?

We hear the phrase ‘three-and-d’ a lot around the game of basketball. With Tyler Betsey, this is not just a buzzword phrase; this is his player archetype. At his best, Betesey is someone who can knock down threes with his feet and guard up and down a lineup. 

Betsey has good positional size, standing 6-foot-8 with long arms and a projectable frame. He is a good athlete, able to move fluidly while sliding his feet and guarding on the perimeter. He has the length and size that can switch down a lineup and cause trouble on the block, as well as in the passing lanes. 

Offensively, Betsey is a very comfortable spot shooter. He pulls gravity to him, opening up driving lanes and spacing for teammates. Over the past year, Betsey has become more comfortable attacking in straight lines and playing off one and two dribbles.

He will need to continue tightening the handle and getting stronger, but you are able to do a lot of things around him.

How does Betsey fit in the lineup?

Depending on if you want to play big or go smaller, Tyler Betsey can play the three or the four. Cincinnati only has three seniors on the roster, and they should return a handful of forwards.

We Miller’s teams at UNC Greensboro have always been at their best when they had multiple players on the floor who could defend multiple positions. Betsey fits this mold of a player. The shooting will be the determining factor for how quickly he gets on the floor. Can he keep pace with the 40-plus percent he shot on Nike’s EYBL 16U Circuit?

Cincinnati is collecting a nice stable of young wings in their past two classes. Daniel Skillings, Josh Reed, and Rayvon Griffith should all be back next year. At his best, Betsey can play alongside each of them.

Betsey talks Cincinnati

“The coaching staff reaches out a lot, and they show a lot of love. One of my coaches at school, Cane Broome, also went there. We have become really close, and he tells me all about the city and everything there is to do outside of basketball. They’re moving to be Big 12, so that’s big. I hear a lot of good things about (head coach) Wes Miller; he’s really personable. He came to my school one time and sat down, and we just talked for like three hours straight. I was really comfortable with him, and it was a great conversation.”