Where Are They Now? Tyler Cavanaugh
4/9/2020 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, My GW: Celebrating our Stories
Men’s basketball alumnus continues pro career in Germany
Over a table full of apps at a Spanish steakhouse last month, Tyler Cavanaugh and Patricio Garino relished a rare chance to hang out.
Cavanaugh made the trip to Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, with Alba Berlin for a Euroleague matchup vs. Garino's Baskonia club. Garino, who is out for the season after suffering a knee injury back in the fall, watched his team come from behind to edge Cavanaugh's German squad by a point.
Afterward, the former Colonials, together for the first time in nearly three years, filled the rest of the evening with memories, laughs and frank conversation about life in pro basketball far from Foggy Bottom.
"It was just a huge blessing," Cavanaugh said. "The game takes us so far away from each other at times, so it was great to catch up with him and reminisce about old times and also share the similar challenges we're going through."
After two seasons splitting his time between the NBA and the G League, Cavanaugh's latest adventure has required adjustments on and off the court.
A two-time All A-10 Second Team honoree who helped GW secure the 2016 NIT title, the 6-foot-9 forward is glad that he's pushed outside of his comfort zone to suit up for Alba Berlin.
"I knew it was a step I wanted to take," said Cavanaugh, who played 39 games for the Atlanta Hawks in 2017-18 and 11 contests for the Utah Jazz last season before representing the New York Knicks in the 2019 NBA Summer League. "Going to a huge city like Berlin, it just seemed like the perfect situation."
Before the COVID-19 pandemic suspended play across the world, Cavanaugh was enjoying his time living in a vibrant German city that reminded a bit of D.C. with his fiancée, former GW volleyball standout Maddy Doyle, while learning the ins and outs of the slower-paced and more physical European game.
The 26-year-old Cavanaugh believed he was just starting to hit his stride before an ankle injury knocked him out for two months. He'd matched his Euroleague season high with 14 points on Nov. 7 at Maccabi Tel Aviv in the last game before he went down in practice.
After a lengthy rehabilitation, Cavanaugh returned to the court in January eager to pick up where he left off vs. a schedule mixed between the highly-competitive Euroleague and the German Basketball Bundesliga.
It's been an eye-opening experience with home games at the 14,000-seat Mercedes Benz Arena and road contests providing further glimpses at the passion for the sport around the globe.
"It's a totally different atmosphere," Cavanaugh said. "It's a lot like a soccer game that you'd see on TV with the noisemakers and people into it the whole game. It's very loud, very exciting. It definitely keeps your blood flowing."
For now, Alba Berlin's dual seasons are paused.
Cavanaugh and his teammates had just finished shootaround preparing for a game at CSKA Moscow on March 12 when they received word that the game had been canceled.
Six days later, Cavanaugh and Doyle were on a flight back to the U.S. to ride out the uncertainty. The couple has secured a condo near Doyle's hometown in Michigan and hunkered down to practice social distancing.
With the prospect of restarting the season at some point still on the table, Cavanaugh has done what he can to keep in shape with jogs, conditioning workouts in the garage and yoga sessions for flexibility.
It's a scary proposition for a player known for his long-range ability that he's only gotten up shots maybe three times in the past month. An August wedding on the horizon adds to the concern.
"This has really just changed my whole perspective," Cavanaugh said. "Basketball isn't important right now. It's about the health and safety of everyone. It's hard to think 'Oh my gosh, I'm not going to be able to shoot for however long.' It's hard because that's my life, but it'll turn, and I'm just trying to do the best I can with it."
Even with all the chores that come with a transatlantic move, there's been more time in recent weeks for puzzles and Netflix than he would like. It was a welcome distraction last week to be reminded of the fourth anniversary of the NIT title and take another stroll down memory lane.
"Coming to GW and being able to play with all those guys, it was the perfect opportunity for me, and it was a perfect fit and we were able to do something special," Cavanaugh said. "We were a really good team, and those are some of my best memories on the basketball court."
Cavanaugh's career has helped him stay connected with former teammates chasing the same dreams.
Last season as a member of the Salt Lake City Stars, Cavanaugh played against Yuta Watanabe's Memphis Hustle three times, and he's glad he got to see Garino, who is in his third season with Baskonia, in what turned out to be his final Euroleague game before the shutdown. He hopes Kevin Larsen, who is also playing in Spain, is next on that list.
From Germany, Cavanaugh has kept tabs on the current Colonials, too. He watched a handful of games cheering on his last remaining former teammates during their senior season, and he's swapped text messages with head coach Jamion Christian with plans for a long overdue visit to Foggy Bottom on his to-do list.
"I love the direction that they're going in," Cavanaugh said. "It's an exciting time. I think Coach Christian is really in a position to do something special there."
Cavanaugh made the trip to Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, with Alba Berlin for a Euroleague matchup vs. Garino's Baskonia club. Garino, who is out for the season after suffering a knee injury back in the fall, watched his team come from behind to edge Cavanaugh's German squad by a point.
Afterward, the former Colonials, together for the first time in nearly three years, filled the rest of the evening with memories, laughs and frank conversation about life in pro basketball far from Foggy Bottom.
"It was just a huge blessing," Cavanaugh said. "The game takes us so far away from each other at times, so it was great to catch up with him and reminisce about old times and also share the similar challenges we're going through."
After two seasons splitting his time between the NBA and the G League, Cavanaugh's latest adventure has required adjustments on and off the court.
A two-time All A-10 Second Team honoree who helped GW secure the 2016 NIT title, the 6-foot-9 forward is glad that he's pushed outside of his comfort zone to suit up for Alba Berlin.
"I knew it was a step I wanted to take," said Cavanaugh, who played 39 games for the Atlanta Hawks in 2017-18 and 11 contests for the Utah Jazz last season before representing the New York Knicks in the 2019 NBA Summer League. "Going to a huge city like Berlin, it just seemed like the perfect situation."
Before the COVID-19 pandemic suspended play across the world, Cavanaugh was enjoying his time living in a vibrant German city that reminded a bit of D.C. with his fiancée, former GW volleyball standout Maddy Doyle, while learning the ins and outs of the slower-paced and more physical European game.
The 26-year-old Cavanaugh believed he was just starting to hit his stride before an ankle injury knocked him out for two months. He'd matched his Euroleague season high with 14 points on Nov. 7 at Maccabi Tel Aviv in the last game before he went down in practice.
After a lengthy rehabilitation, Cavanaugh returned to the court in January eager to pick up where he left off vs. a schedule mixed between the highly-competitive Euroleague and the German Basketball Bundesliga.
It's been an eye-opening experience with home games at the 14,000-seat Mercedes Benz Arena and road contests providing further glimpses at the passion for the sport around the globe.
"It's a totally different atmosphere," Cavanaugh said. "It's a lot like a soccer game that you'd see on TV with the noisemakers and people into it the whole game. It's very loud, very exciting. It definitely keeps your blood flowing."
For now, Alba Berlin's dual seasons are paused.
Cavanaugh and his teammates had just finished shootaround preparing for a game at CSKA Moscow on March 12 when they received word that the game had been canceled.
Six days later, Cavanaugh and Doyle were on a flight back to the U.S. to ride out the uncertainty. The couple has secured a condo near Doyle's hometown in Michigan and hunkered down to practice social distancing.
With the prospect of restarting the season at some point still on the table, Cavanaugh has done what he can to keep in shape with jogs, conditioning workouts in the garage and yoga sessions for flexibility.
It's a scary proposition for a player known for his long-range ability that he's only gotten up shots maybe three times in the past month. An August wedding on the horizon adds to the concern.
"This has really just changed my whole perspective," Cavanaugh said. "Basketball isn't important right now. It's about the health and safety of everyone. It's hard to think 'Oh my gosh, I'm not going to be able to shoot for however long.' It's hard because that's my life, but it'll turn, and I'm just trying to do the best I can with it."
Even with all the chores that come with a transatlantic move, there's been more time in recent weeks for puzzles and Netflix than he would like. It was a welcome distraction last week to be reminded of the fourth anniversary of the NIT title and take another stroll down memory lane.
"Coming to GW and being able to play with all those guys, it was the perfect opportunity for me, and it was a perfect fit and we were able to do something special," Cavanaugh said. "We were a really good team, and those are some of my best memories on the basketball court."
Cavanaugh's career has helped him stay connected with former teammates chasing the same dreams.
Last season as a member of the Salt Lake City Stars, Cavanaugh played against Yuta Watanabe's Memphis Hustle three times, and he's glad he got to see Garino, who is in his third season with Baskonia, in what turned out to be his final Euroleague game before the shutdown. He hopes Kevin Larsen, who is also playing in Spain, is next on that list.
From Germany, Cavanaugh has kept tabs on the current Colonials, too. He watched a handful of games cheering on his last remaining former teammates during their senior season, and he's swapped text messages with head coach Jamion Christian with plans for a long overdue visit to Foggy Bottom on his to-do list.
"I love the direction that they're going in," Cavanaugh said. "It's an exciting time. I think Coach Christian is really in a position to do something special there."
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