Tyrese Martin arrived at FC Barcelona last summer as the marquee signing of a nearly rebuilt roster, and at 27 with 122 NBA games but no European experience, the demands to make an immediate impact were heavy. Yet the key detail currently tormenting the American is not his adaptation to a new continent or his search for a role, but his three-point shooting, which has become the single number dragging down his performance.
The adjustment has been radical in nearly every aspect. Martin, who comes from Allentown—a city of about 125,000 inhabitants located 200 kilometers from Philadelphia and 150 from New York—told SPORT during preseason in Encamp that he had never been to Europe before. He arrived without speaking any Spanish, eight hours by plane from his family and friends, in a city where the style of basketball differs and the nights run about ten degrees warmer than back home.
Rebounding dominance masks the perimeter struggles
While his outside shot falters, Martin has established himself as the team’s most consistent presence on the glass. He currently leads Barcelona in rebounds in the Liga Endesa with a 5.7 average and ranks second in the EuroLeague with 4.3 per game. This rebounding prowess stands as the best proof of his commitment, countering any perception that his cold demeanor—unlike Josh Nebo’s celebratory style—signals a lack of involvement.
The three-point slump that defines his season
The numbers from beyond the arc tell a stark story. Though he shoots a workable 40% in the ACB (12 of 20), his EuroLeague mark sits at just 31.8% (14 of 44). Over his last three European games and two most recent Spanish contests, that figure drops to 24% (6 of 25). The frustration is compounded by his insistence on continuing to shoot when he is not finding the net, a confidence issue that has also weighed on his valuation: after a +4.4 average in his first five European games, he has climbed to sixth on the team at +7.8, though he was dragged down by a 0 against Casademont Zaragoza and a +5 against Unicaja in his last two Liga Endesa appearances.
Patience from the bench and faith from the club
Head coach Aleksander Sekulic knows Martin must be a difference-maker from the perimeter and is allowing him to keep shooting until he regains his touch. The club has no doubts about the Allentown native, who averaged 43% from three during his final season at the University of Connecticut and 40% in the NBA. For a player who arrived with no European experience and is still settling into life in Barcelona, the organization believes the shooter who was signed as a star will eventually emerge.
