One of the best parts of my job is getting to know the great inspirations behind most of the great athletes I get to cover: Moms.
I remember my first encounter with Tiffany Degenhart and, of course, as is typical these days, it was through social media.
She followed me on Twitter.
I get nervous when parents start following my social media nonsense. You never know what’s going to set off family, especially when something goes wrong, and my track record for pointing out the negative and keeping my mouth shut isn’t exactly smooth.
A few years ago, Degenhart’s son, Tyson, made the first of several appearances on our radio show. He’s a Boise State basketball player, one of the all-time greats, and I asked him about Mom and whether I should be nervous?
“No,’’ Tyson said emphatically. “She’s a math teacher. She’s nice.’’
Mike Prater
Proud to report, so far, no real issues with Tiffany.
Then again, there’s not a lot going wrong for Tyson.
Both will be rock stars inside ExtraMile Arena on Friday when Boise State hosts Colorado State for Senior Night.
“It’s been quite the ride,’’ Tiffany said.
Tyson has played 131 basketball games at Boise State, with 125 consecutive starts and 95 wins. He’s missed one game his entire college career. He’s been to three straight NCAA Tournaments. He’s 47 points shy of breaking the school’s career scoring record. He’s been a first-team Academic All-American. He might not be the best player in Boise State basketball history, but he might go down as the best teammate.
Degenhart is a future Boise State Hall of Famer – and it all started when he was 9 months old, according to Mom.
That’s when Tyson got his first nerf hoop, a gift from a family friend. He started rolling the ball over the rim as soon as he started walking. There’s a family photo for proof – from a JC Penny photo shoot with Tyson decked out in Nike gear with a basketball in his lap.
Tyson was a full-blown basketball junkie by the time he was 3 or 4 years old. He was born and raised in the Spokane area and became obsessed with Gonzaga star Adam Morrison.
Tiffany said Tyson wore a Morrison jersey every day for six months.
“I washed it every day. I air-dried it every night,’’ she said.
Today, that same jersey, with a post-game autograph from Morrison, rests in a box in a family basement.
Photo courtesy of Degenhart family
By the time Tyson was finishing elementary school, he was running cross country, playing soccer and hockey, and was on two basketball teams. He was a javelin champion as a freshman in high school. He finished high school as one of the best basketball players in Spokane area history.
He came to Boise State as one of the most anticipated recruits in program history. He was Mountain West Freshman of the Week nine times – and eventually the Freshman of the Year – during the 2021-22 season.
Tyson had a choice to play basketball, his true passion. He didn’t have a choice to be an athlete, not with his family.
Tiffany was a state champion basketball player in high school.
Yukon, his dad, was a state champion distance runner who landed a track scholarship to Clemson.
Maggie, his sister, was a state champion volleyball player.
Tyson has never won a state championship. Then again, every family has a black sheep.
“He pushed his sister once when they were little,’’ Tiffany said. “That may have been the only time he got in trouble. Honestly, he was a dream kid to raise – and he’s really fun to watch.’’
A high school coach once called Tyson a “unicorn – too good to be true.’’
That’s still the case today.
A finance major, Degenhart has three “Bs’’ in four years as a college student – everything else has been an “A.” He dates Brook Thompson, a top pitcher for Boise State’s successful softball program. He won’t talk about chasing the school’s scoring record, held by Tanoka Beard since 1993. Everything he does is about the team – and he does it with 100 percent class.
“I felt bad for Tyson this year because of all the pressure on him to get that scoring record, but that’s not what Tyson is about,’’ Tiffany said. “He’s kind to everyone. Humble. There is lots of pressure on him to break the scoring record and he just doesn’t go there.’’
With three guaranteed games left in his college career, Tyson should score the 47 points he needs to break the record. He’s averaging 17.9 points a game so it won’t happen Friday night.
Maybe at the Mountain West Tournament in Las Vegas next week.
Maybe in the NCAA Tournament, where he hopes to lead Boise State to its first ever NCAA victory. If he pulls off the scoring record and a NCAA win, one man’s legacy and popularity will reach legendary unicorn status.
First, Tyson must deal with Senior Night emotions and expectations of Friday’s monster game, his last inside ExtraMile Arena. Twenty or so family members are coming to town and will join him on the court before the game. Twenty or so friends will be there, too. Saturday dinner plans for family and friends have been canceled because there’s too many people to juggle. All coming to town. All to follow Tyson.
Just to watch him kiss Mom. Win a basketball game. Build that legacy.
Tiffany isn’t ready for the moment.
“If I could push Friday to never coming, I might,’’ she said. “If I had a magic wand, and can have Friday night never come, then it might be what I want.
“But I’ll go down and be on the court with him, along with a lot of our family, and I’ll just be proud. I’ll be beaming with pride.’’
Like everyone else in the Boise State basketball family.
Mike Prater is the Bronco Nation News columnist who co-hosts Idaho Sports Talk (KTIK 95.3 FM on Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m.) and the Boise State football postgame show (KBOI 670 AM). He is on Twitter @MikeFPrater and can be reached at mikefprater@gmail.com
