BYU Basketball: Thank You Letter To Tyler Haws

Dear Tyler Haws,

Here at Lawless Republic we’re all about open letters. This letter isn’t nearly as harsh as our letter to Bronco Mendenhall, but rather, a letter to thank you for everything that you have done for BYU over the course of your Cougar career.

Seriously, thank you. When Jimmer Fredette finished off his fantastic senior season at BYU there were many BYU fans around the country that referred to him as a once in a lifetime player. Nobody expected that the very season after he left we would be witnessing the next once in a lifetime player to play for Dave Rose. It’s been a joy to watch you every step of the way throughout the years.

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You’ve been the subject of a lot of unjustified criticism. You’ve been constantly compared to Jimmer, you’ve been told that you don’t show up in big games and that you’re destined for a professional career in Europe (as if it’s a bad thing to get paid in Europe instead of getting paid in America), your defense has been questioned, you’ve been called unathletic and told you can’t create your own shot. And what have you done throughout it all? You’ve gone on to be the leading scorer in BYU history and have become the ultimate model of consistency. You’ve played through injuries so that BYU fans can watch you play. You’ve battled a new conference and their terrible refs and been the face of a BYU basketball that has been, all things considered, a successful basketball season.

Dec 23, 2014; Provo, UT, USA; Brigham Young Cougars guard Tyler Haws (3) shoots the ball over Massachusetts Minutemen center Cady Lalanne (25) during the second half at Marriott Center. Brigham Young Cougars won the game in overtime 77-71. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Since the day you stepped off the plane and returned home from your mission you have averaged 22.4 points a game. It’s become so normal for you to score more than 20 points a game that people complain when you don’t. Seriously, nobody (not Jimmer, not Danny Ainge, nobody) in BYU history has averaged 20+ points a game for three straight years. I don’t know if you’re into advanced stats, but just in case you are, here is a quick one for you. According to sports-reference.com, you’ve been solely responsible for 21.8 wins throughout your BYU career and you still have a couple of games left to increase that number. (Jimmer finished his BYU career with 23 win shares, for what it’s worth.)

I’ve always been impressed with the way that you have developed into such a prolific scorer while not having to dominate the ball. These days, there aren’t many scorers that don’t have to have the ball in their hands the majority of the time. You’ve managed to be the focal point of the BYU offense coming off of screens, shooting mid-range jumpers and getting to the free throw line. It’s for that reason that I think you’re going to end up having a shot in the NBA. NBA teams need scorers that don’t dominate the ball and you’ve proved to be one of the best.

You haven’t always had the most talented teams around you and people tend to forget that. For the last three years you’ve been the primary scorer and the one that teams are game planning around. You haven’t had many future professional basketball players around you but you never complained and never thought to transfer. You’ve played at a high level and we all respect that very much.

You’ve represented BYU well. Whether it’s lip sync videos that scream “BYU student” or the way you conduct yourself on and off the court it’s something that BYU fans can be proud of. No matter what happens with your basketball future, nobody will ever be able to say that you don’t represent yourself, your teams, your family and your supporters well.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77twsRDPa0c

There aren’t many games left. I don’t know what is going to come of BYU’s NCAA Tournament hopes or if an upset in Spokane is brewing. All I know is that you’re one of the greatest BYU basketball players of all time and you’ve only got a handful of games left in the Cougar blue and white. I hope that you find a way to enjoy your last few games as a Cougar as much as BYU fans will.

Thank you, Tyler Haws and we all wish you the best of luck going forward.

-Lawless Republic and BYU fans everywhere.

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