Tyon Grant-Foster Is 2025’s Biggest Sleeper
Grand Canyon's athletic phenom is an under-the-radar name to watch for in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Tyon Grant-Foster is not a name most have circled as a potential first round pick in this year’s NBA Draft. There is good reason behind that. Grant-Foster will turn 25 years old this upcoming March, making him one of the oldest draft eligible prospects in recent memory. While his age will impact his draft stock significantly, Grant-Foster is still a prospect to keep an eye on for a few reasons.
The Grand Canyon star wing has had an interesting route to get where he is now. Grant-Foster began his post-high school career by spending two years at the junior college level. After a tremendous sophomore season with Indian Hills Community College, he received an offer by the Kansas Jayhawks. The Kansas City native played a small role for Bill Self in the 2020-21 season appearing in 22 games and averaging just 8.1 minutes per contest. Without a clear role moving forward, Grant-Foster once again transferred. This time, the athletic wing found his way to DePaul, however, in his first game as a Blue Demon, the unthinkable occurred.
Grant-Foster was rushed to a nearby hospital at halftime after he had collapsed. This incident sidelined Tyon for nearly two full years while recovering from multiple heart surgeries. After being granted a medical hardship by the NCAA, Grant-Foster found his way to Grand Canyon University. The 2023-24 season was nothing short of magical for both Grant-Foster and the Antelopes.
GCU made an NCAA March Madness appearance and even progressed to the round of 32, a historic feat for a relatively small program. Grant-Foster shined for the Lopes all season leading them to a 30-5 record, the best in program history since 1988. The Grand Canyon star averaged 20.1 points while shooting 50.0% on two-point attempts, 33.1% on threes while adding in 3.2 stocks (steals and blocks) per game and a respectable 6.1 rebounds. Not only had Grant-Foster finally established himself at the Division-1 level, he gained real NBA Draft buzz.
Grant-Foster was invited to the 2024 NBA Draft combine. Due to this, we have exact measurements for Grant-Foster’s frame. The GCU star wing measured in at 6’5.75” without shoes, boasted a 6’11.75” wingspan and weighed in at 215.2 pounds. His NBA physique and athletic traits made him a legitimate prospect. However, Grant-Foster chose to return back to GCU in lieu of the draft.
Tyon Grant-Foster’s Skill Set
Last week, Grant-Foster took the court on an NBA floor as Grand Canyon took on in-state rival Arizona State at the Footprint Center, the home of the Phoenix Suns. His first game of the season was a little shaky, however, we saw some of what makes Grant-Foster an intriguing long-term name to watch. Grant-Foster has been a foul-drawing machine since arriving to GCU. Last season, he averaged an impressive 8.3 free throw attempts per game. That number might even grow this season as his debut showing placed him on the line 12 times.
His ability to consistently get to the stripe is a by-product of a few things. First off, GCU frequently looks to isolate Grant-Foster and give him opportunities to attack downhill one on one. Secondly, he does a great job finding extra opportunities to exert pressure on the rim. His quick first step, leaping ability and solid size have made him a tough cover at the collegiate level as a physical mismatch. Despite a poor shooting performance in his season debut, Grant-Foster displayed the ability to beat his matchup off the bounce, generate transition opportunities with his defensive playmaking and winning on the offensive glass (two offensive rebounds in his season debut). For NBA teams looking to scale down his role, the key for Grant-Foster’s game is finding ways to impact winning in a multitude of ways.
Rather than playing as a lead ball handler like his current tenure at GCU, it’s almost a certainty we will see teams utilize Grant-Foster as an off-the-catch threat. This role projection is extremely important. Consider the current heliocentric offensive approach in the NBA and how a majority of the best teams fill out their rosters with pieces that fit around the team’s best player. For a player like Grant-Foster, this reality will likely make him a more valuable asset to a team than he otherwise would be in a different context.
NBA Models for Development
In recent years, we have seen athletic wings stick in the NBA once they find the right situation. Derrick Jones Jr. was a revelation for the Dallas Mavericks last season en route to an NBA Finals berth. Now, DJJ stands as a key longterm piece for the Los Angeles Clippers around James Harden. Obi Toppin is another solid example as his above the rim presence and transition offense have both been phenomenal fits next to Tyrese Haliburton in Indiana. These are two players Grant-Foster should look to emulate in a number of ways.
Derrick Jones Jr.’s growth as a player stems directly from his 3&D value. Jones is a career 32.4% three-point shooter, but has recently re-discovered himself as a corner three-point shooter. Next to Luka Doncic in Dallas, Jones Jr. became a real threat as a floor spacer around the Mavs’ star ball handlers and rim-running bigs. Tyon Grant-Foster has not been the most reliable three-point shooter either at the college game. As a career 30.6% shooter from deep, this area of his game will require development, but some of the tools are there.
Grant-Foster has an extremely high release point when you factor in how high he jumps on his outside shots. In an NBA context, his elevation on outside shots will minimize the impact defensive rotations could have on contesting his shot on closeouts. Currently, a large number of his outside shots are self-created so the role adjustment in the league could positively impact his shooting percentages when shots are coming from drive and kicks or ball reversals.
Similarly to Grant-Foster, Obi Toppin’s athleticism was a cheat code in the college game. This allowed Toppin to create his own shot off the bounce and beat defenders to the cup consistently for the Dayton Flyers. In the NBA, the absence of some skills have become more apparent, but his value off the ball still holds value. From a functional perspective, Grant-Foster could become a valuable short-roll threat to maximize his athletic tools in advantage situations. Otherwise, his size and finishing touch will at least allow him to adequately score in transition, operate as a cutter and maybe even sit in the dunker spot for some of the more creative coaches.
2025 NBA Draft Stock
As I stated at the beginning of this piece, Tyon Grant-Foster will almost certainly not be a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. However, that does not mean he isn’t a valuable longterm prospect despite his age. There are real tools that could lead Grant-Foster to becoming a winning role-player in the NBA given the right development pathway.
Currently, I expect Grant-Foster to be a fringe second-round pick or high-priority undrafted free agent pick up for a team on a two-way contract. Any team selecting the GCU star will look at him as a small project. The upside is worth that kind of risk for a team. It may take a few years for everything to click at the NBA level, but his athleticism provides real tools as someone who can attack off the catch, guard on the perimeter and finish at the rim. With meaningful shooting progression, Grant-Foster could be a major steal for a team later in the draft.