East Rockingham High School graduate Tyler Nickel was selected with the 47th overall pick of the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday in Brooklyn by the World Champion New York Knicks.
Nickel wrapped up his college career this past season with former JMU head coach Mark Byington at Vanderbilt. He averaged a career-high 13.5 points per game and shot 40.0% percent (110-275) from the three-point line.
Nickel began his career at North Carolina and then transferred to Virginia Tech as he averaged 8.8 points per game as a sophomore. After one season in Blacksburg, he transferred to Vanderbilt to play for Byington, and he started all 69 games he played in during his two seasons in Nashville. Nickel averaged 12.0 points per game as a Commodore.
During his time at East Rockingham High School, Nickel was a four-time first team All-State selection and is the Virginia High School League’s all-time leading scorer with 2,909 points in 102 games. He averaged 28.5 points per game during his career and averaged 35.0 as a senior for the Eagles.
Nickel is the first player from Harrisonburg or Rockingham County to be drafted into the NBA since Pee Wee Barber was selected in the fourth round by the Portland Trailblazers in 1987.
