Tyrese Proctor became the newest Cleveland Cavalier during this year's NBA Draft, after the team selected him with the 49th pick.
After three standout years at Duke, the Aussie guard is now ready for the pros, joining a team that has a real chance to make the NBA Finals, following a 64-win regular season and a playoff campaign derailed by injury.
As Proctor prepares for his rookie year in the NBA, he has revealed a friendship with an unlikely cross-code star - Joseph Sua'ali'i.
Tyrese Proctor reveals surprising cross-code friendship
Tyrese Proctor has opened up about his friendship with former NRL star and current Wallabies gun Joseph Sua'ali'i, following his performance at the 2025 NBA Summer League.
35 FOR TYRESE PROCTOR!!
— NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2025
Including 15 PTS in the 4Q alone for the Cavs rookie 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Oi9soaf6nI
The pair played against each other in High School, before becoming teammates for the NSW state side, and are now two of Australia's most prolific athletes.
"Joseph was good at hoops, he was athletic as hell," Proctor told the Daily Telegraph.
"He was dunking everything and he was a great player... we’ve definitely kept in touch.
"Joseph is amazing and he is doing great things in the football world. He has been a professional for most of his life, starting in the NRL and now moving to union. He is a great person that chat to.
"We’ve had a similar trajectory, but different paths. It’s really cool to see where we have come from as little kids and where we are now."
Following an impressive early NRL career for the Sydney Roosters, Sua'ali'i made the move to Rugby Union last year, joining the NSW Waratahs and becoming a key part of the Wallabies team.
For Proctor, he was one of four Australians taken in the 2025 NBA Draft, and will look to make an immediate impact for the Cavaliers alongside All-Star talents Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Darius Garland - as well as fellow Aussie Luke Travers.