By Jason Erickson

Tyler Weaver has learned to trust the slow part of success.

The redshirt freshman guard from Aliso Viejo, California, is not wired for the quick headline. He is the kind of player who shows up early for shooting, who takes extra reps after practice, who studies the veteran guards and quietly asks the smart questions. After two years away from the court while serving a mission in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and a redshirt season with Utah Valley, Weaver's arc has been less about fireworks and more about steady, daily work.

"I've learned a lot from watching guys like Tanner (Toolson) and Dom (Nelson)," Weaver said. "They never took shortcuts. They competed in every drill and they care about the details. I want to be that kind of guy."

Weaver was a prolific scorer in high school, putting up nearly 24 points a game and turning in a 39-point night that still lives with him. The box score once read higher until officials corrected a scoring error, but he remembers the way the big shots felt more than any number. That humility fits the way he talks about his game now.

His mission in Brazil changed the rhythm of his life. Living in a different culture, learning Portuguese, and focusing on service reshaped his priorities.

"It gave me perspective," he said. "You learn patience out there. You learn to care about people, not just stats."

Coming home meant reassembling a body and a skill set. Weaver initially committed to Southern Utah but switched course after conversations with Utah Valley staff. He liked the culture at UVU and the clarity of the staff's plan for his development. He redshirted, rebuilt strength and conditioning, and watched from the bench as upperclassmen led by example.

"That redshirt year taught me how to listen," Weaver said. "You can learn from being in the gym even when you are not playing. You learn how to prepare so when your number is called, it is not a surprise."

A constant in that process has been family and close mentorship. Weaver's relationship with Travis Hansen is more than a footnote. Hansen is technically a cousin, but Weaver calls him Uncle Travis, and he has lived with Hansen's family while settling into life in Utah. The lessons are practical: habits, preparation, and what it looks like to carry yourself with consistency.

"Uncle Travis talks about competing with purpose," Weaver said. "He is big on the little things. Seeing how he approaches work helped shape the way I prepare."

Hansen's story is familiar to UVU fans. He started at Utah Valley State College, excelled at BYU, played in the NBA and across Europe, and now runs businesses and philanthropic projects back home. For Weaver, the connection is less about copying a career path and more about watching how a professional life is built.

Under head coach Todd Phillips, Weaver has taken those lessons and applied them to the daily grind. Phillips preaches consistency and attention to detail, and Weaver says that message fits him. He wants to be valued for more than flashes. He wants to be steady, reliable and ready.

"I just want to help the team in whatever way I can," he said. "If that means defense or energy or hitting a corner three when it matters, I am ready for it. I like the process."

That process looks like early shots in the morning, film study between classes, a lift session after practice and a walk back to the team room talking through a scout. It does not make much noise, but it adds up.

Now that the season is underway, Weaver's patience is not passive anticipation. It is active preparation. When his minutes come, they will be the product of thousands of quiet decisions he has already made.

"If you do the little things over and over, big moments become smaller," he said. "Then you can just go play."

Tyler Weaver's story is not about one big moment. It is about the accumulation of small, steady choices. That is the kind of player Utah Valley has always valued, one who trusts the process and lets the work speak when the lights turn on.