Just imagine moving to a place where you know nobody and do not speak the language....at 18 years of age. Now you know what Jeremy Tyler is going through. Although Israel is American friendly and English is widely spoken, the youngster can't help but feel lost in a place where people have different behavioral patterns, beliefs, and traditions. Not only that, but he has had no one to help him make the transition smoother. Shouldn't the team be looking out for him, you ask? The answer is yes, but the unfortunate reality is that most teams do little or nothing to make life easier for their foreign players. And what about his agents, the Wasserman Media Group? Well, they didn't even inform him that he needed a passport to go to Israel. They only sent a representative (Makhtar N'Diaye) over for a short time once they realized how problematic Tyler's situation had become. N'Diaye has come and gone and once again Tyler finds himself all alone to deal with another culture, set of customs, and responsibilities that can no doubt seem overwhelming to a teenager at times.
Being a basketball player, Tyler has umpteen hours of free time every day, but he has no family or friends to pass the time with him. This is far different from the life he had led prior to going to Israel. In the States, he was attending classes, participating in practices and games, hanging out with his buddies, going to school functions, and doing everything a normal high school kid does. Now, he is surrounded by unfamiliar faces, unrecognizable places, and his time commitments are minimal. This is an incredibly difficult situation for anyone to be in their first year away from home, especially someone as young and naive as Tyler. In the short time that he has been in Haifa, he has showed up late for an interview, missed a workout, and has been visited three times by the police for excess noise coming from his apartment. He is obviously immature and unsure how to go about his business, but this should not come as any surprise since he is just an 18 year-old kid. It is difficult enough for a grown adult to go through this process, but a teenager.....without guidance.....come on! It is way too much to expect, even if he did sign a professional contract.
Living in a foreign land may be the most challenging thing Tyler ever faces. He can either make his life easier by forgetting the whole thing and coming back to the States, or he can stay over there and pursue his dream of being a professional basketball player. The best way for him to persevere is to gain the respect of his coaches and teammates by fully immersing himself into his job. If he truly loves the game of basketball, this will not be a problem for him. All he really needs to do is show up on time, work hard while he is there, listen to what his elders have to say, and learn as much as he possibly can. In the end, he will be richly rewarded by demonstrating that he is serious about his craft. He will not only progress as a player but more importantly as a person. There is no greater teacher than life experience, and it is up to Tyler to embrace the amazing opportunity he has and make the most of it.
