It’s a story that feels too special and too scripted to be true.
The local, smalltown boy who grows up to star for the team he cheered for as a kid, setting records and creating a legacy that will last forever in the very city that has cheered him every step of the way.
But this story is true, and it’s a result of hard work, immense commitment, sublime skill, and unrelenting self-belief. You can’t tell the story of UNBC Basketball without Tyrell Laing, making him a truly deserving of induction into the Timberwolves Wall of Honour.
After an incredible high school career with Prince George Secondary School, Laing’s scoring exploits were known throughout the province and beyond. With the Polars, he would regularly score more than 50 points in a single game, and turned heads with that hefty production translating at the BC Championships. Using his blistering baseline-to-baseline speed and his shifty dynamism with the ball, Laing felt drawn to representing the team he grew up cheering for at the Northern Sport Centre.
“I was pressing really hard to get Tyrell to commit to our program,” said UNBC coach Todd Jordan. “When we believe we have guys in the local area who can really contribute at the U SPORTS level, it is important to try to keep them here at home. Ty was a special player at PGSS, and I really liked his mindset. He worked hard in high school to improve as a player, played on Provincial teams, and was part of Engage Sport North’s Canadian Sport School. It was a really big day when he decided to join our program.”
The 2016-2017 campaign was a rocky one for the Timberwolves, but a crucial season in Laing’s development. UNBC would go 4-16 on the season, but the rookie guard would earn his minutes with tough defense and intensity, carving out a bench role in Jordan’s rotation. He would play 17 minutes per game, and manage to set UNBC rookie records for points, assists, three-pointers, and steals in a Canada West season.
Laing would be named team Rookie of the Year, and UNBC’s Male Rookie of the Year at season’s end. According to Nav Parmar, his coach at PGSS and an assistant coach at UNBC, it was no surprise Laing found a way to contribute and grow his game from the very beginning.
“Having coached Ty in high school, I immediately saw growth in his game. I knew his scoring would eventually translate at the U SPORTS level, as soon as the game slowed down for him,” said Parmar. “It didn’t take long for him to adjust to the physicality and have performances for us that were really promising. Even as a young player, you could see growth in him as a leader.”
In his second season, the Timberwolves added star guard Vova Pluzhnikov and dynamic wing Jovan Leamy to the roster, meaning minutes would again be hard to come by for the still-developing hometown star. But he did what would end up being his calling card; he would put his head down, work hard, and stay ready. Laing would again serve as an important piece off the bench, and set new career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. He would also play a role in UNBC history, as the TWolves would win the first Canada West playoff game in program history, topping the Winnipeg Wesmen 71-68 on February 8th, 2018.
“Tyrell’s dedication to the game is unmatched. Ty has truly been doing film study since year one, and probably even in high school, and he had a tremendously consistent routine,” said Pluzhnikov. “Whether we are on the road or at home, he had an exact schedule he would stick to. He put in countless hours on the court when no one was watching because he knew it would eventually pay off. He was also curious and willing to learn, and he was always talking basketball. He wasn’t shy about asking questions to get a better understanding of how his teammates viewed the game. It was allowing him to come a better basketball player, but also a better teammate and a better leader.”
Year three was a big step for Laing, despite the lineup configuration making it tough for a young guard to earn minutes. He was still creating havoc with his on-ball defense and ability to pressure full court, but the flashes of offense that he was known for in high school started to shine in his third university campaign.
Playing with veteran ball-handlers James Agyeman, Leamy, and Pluzhnikov, he was helped the Timberwolves to another playoff appearance and a 9-11 regular season record. But it was late in the season when he began to truly force Jordan’s hand into carving out a larger identity on the offensive end.
In late January, he made seven three-pointers and scored 25 points to propel the TWolves to their first-ever victory over the Alberta Golden Bears. The next weekend, he would score 19 points against the UBC Thunderbirds. And in the final weekend, he came off the bench against the Lethbridge Pronghorns to lead UNBC with 22 points in a 96-90 victory.
At year’s end, he had, again, set new personal-bests in points, rebounds, assists, and three-pointers, while playing 20.2 minutes per game.
“He was deadset on persevering and becoming the player he wanted to be. As a third-year, he probably didn’t play as many minutes as he could have as we were really deep,” said Jordan, of his emerging star. “He showed signs of being truly capable, and I loved how he would put his head down and work to get there. He wouldn’t complain about his situation as a younger guy, but he was ready to explode as a scorer.”
And, in 2019-2020, explode he did. The Tyrell Laing that took the court as a starting guard for the Timberwolves in his fourth season was a culmination of the sweat, attention to detail, and commitment, packaged with a sizeable chip on his shoulder. From the first game of the season – a 27-point effort in a home victory over the Victoria Vikes, until the end of the season, the Prince George native was sensational.
Combining with Pluzhnikov to form one of the most potent backcourts in the country, Laing was remarkably consistent and efficient, putting together a historic season for his hometown program.
“Playing with Ty was effortless. We were constantly talking about the game and what we saw or what we didn’t see, and it allowed us to build amazing chemistry,” said Pluzhnikov, of his backcourt running mate. “There was a ton of trust and confidence. Our styles complemented each other very well. I got so much joy from running a fastbreak with Ty. He was so skilled and that allowed him to be so unpredictable and unguardable in transition.”
He would play 33.9 minutes per game, averaging 21.9 points per game, to go along with 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He paced all of Canada West in scoring, making him the first TWolf to do so, while setting program records for points in a single season with 419, and filed goals made with 153. He would do it all while shooting 45% from the floor – a sensational mark for a small guard – while making good on 37% of his threes and 86% from the free throw line.
“I think Tyrell was always on that path to being an assertive scorer at the university level. In year three, the guys playing minutes were an older, more experienced group. Coming into that fourth year, Ty had already proven to himself in his mind and with his work that he could be the fulcrum of a good offense,” said longtime teammate Saje Gosal. “We had a younger team, but he proved it to everyone in the league. We all rusted him to take shots and the rest is history. I don’t know if anyone expected him to lead the league in scoring, but if you watched him one back at a time, it made perfect sense. It was all always there. The pull up three, the midrange, the finishing, the free throws. He put it together that year.”
Laing was named Most Outstanding Player and UNBC Male Athlete of the Year, but inexplicably, was left off the Canada West All-Star team. He is the only leading scorer in league history to not be named a league all-star at season’s end. The proverbial chip on his shoulder only grew.
The 2020-2021 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Laing stayed hard at work to continue to make it tougher for opposition to slow him down. Coming off a historic year in 2019-2020, Laing’s senior season was sure to be more difficult; opposing teams would be game planning to limit him and take the ball out of his hands, but the fifth-year guard came ready.
In 2021-2022’s shortened 18-game campaign, he scored 18.9 points per game – the second, only to himself, in UNBC’s Canada West history. He would actually see an uptick in his rebounding and assist numbers, while playing a program-record 35.6 minutes per game. Laing would also make 40 three-pointers, and make a UNBC-record 99 free throws, showing his bravery and willingness to throw his body into contact areas.
Beyond the statistics, Laing’s leadership and work ethic were evident, and became an example for his younger teammates to take with them throughout their careers in Green & Gold.
“Ty was incredibly supportive and encouraging. He build strong relationships with every last guy on our team and had a real way of lifting everyone’s spirits,” said Saymon Loki, on a young post on that team. “He was such a wealth of knowledge and experience. Most people don’t get to have a teammate like that. He shared insights and tips to us younger players, to help us develop our skills and understanding. Ty’s impact goes far beyond his impressive statistics. He was a leader. He had genuine conversations. And they didn’t always have to be about basketball. His presence made us better players and better people.”
The Timberwolves lost a heartbreaker to Brandon in the playoffs that year, but Tyrell Laing’s final statline was fitting. 26 points on 9-for-14 shooting, with eight rebounds, four assists, four three-pointers, and two steals.
He was again honoured as the team Most Valuable Player, and as UNBC’s Male Athlete of the Year.
“Tyrell is an all-timer. He grew in front of everyone’s eyes and did it all in his hometown,” said Gosal. “He truly got better every year he walked through those halls and the consistent energy, confidence, and mentality he brought has a legacy in the trajectory of the Timberwolves program.”
To better understand Laing’s impact on UNBC, look no further than the Timberwolves Men’s Basketball record books. No player scored more points than his 1180. For UNBC’s time in Canada West, he sits first in field goals (385), first in free throws (254), second in three-pointers (156), second in games (96), second in minutes (2346), third in assists (206), fourth in steals (86), and top-ten in rebounds (231). He did all this in just 45 career starts.
“He is unrivaled in his hard work, commitment to craft, and dedication. His achievements speak for themselves,” said Parmar. “He became an inspiration to any smalltown athlete who has big dreams. What made it that much sweeter is he stayed and helped grow his local program. He did it with sheer class and hard work.”
Laing’s legacy still resonates in the halls of UNBC, but also in every basketball conversation happening in every high school gym in Northern BC. The Prince George product who set a new standard with his dedication and production, playing in front of a community that loved him as much as he loved it back.
“I knew Tyrell was going to make an impact. I didn’t know he was going to turn into an all-time great and become our leading scorer,” said Jordan. “That was something he worked for. He took so much pride in representing his school and his city. For a PG kid to lead Canada West in scoring – it’s an incredible accomplishment that you may never see again. But I’ll be forever grateful to have such a high-character, high-skill guy come through this program. He was an amazing ambassador for this team, for this university, and for this community. Tyrell is so deserving of the Wall of Honour.”
