When Jeremy Tyler signed a $140,000 contract with Israeli club Maccabi Haifa earlier this year; the 18-year old, 6-11, 260lb center was following in the steps of another prep star Brandon Jennings.

After a year in the Euroleague, Jennings was selected 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and is now opening eyes in the NBA.  Jeremy Tyler was supposed to follow that same path.

(Forum: Jeremy Tyler skips high school, goes pro)

It hasn’t gone as smooth as either side has hoped. Though Jennings had his problems overseas, those problems are nothing compared to what Tyler is currently going through, at least according to this New York Times article:

(Jeremy Tyler’s) coach calls him lazy and out of shape. The team captain says he is soft. His teammates say he needs to learn to shut up and show up on time. He has no friends on the team.

In extensive interviews with Tyler, his teammates, coaches, his father and advisers, the consensus is that he is so naïve and immature that he has no idea how naïve and immature he is. So enamored with his vast potential, Tyler has not developed the work ethic necessary to tap it.

Yikes. Tyler was supposed to go to Israel for a year, put his potential on display, and come back stateside to be selected in the NBA draft.

Instead Tyler’s ego has taken a huge hit, and seems as if the two sides are at a standstill about which brand of basketball will win out.

So far, it’s Haifa’s style; Tyler is averaging just seven minutes a game and has scored one point in two games thus far.

“I only make history if I succeed. I didn’t come here to fail.” said Tyler.

And the high school star has shed tears on more than one occasion over his supposed-unfair treatment.

“It’s tough going to practice every day, twice a day, working as hard as you can, and once the game comes, you get no love,” Tyler said. “You got to be a man about the situation, you know. You made a decision, stick with it.”

Even Sonny Vaccaro, the adviser that brought both Jennings and Tyler overseas and advocate for high-school players to continue moving the professional direction, has tired of hearing about Tyler’s ego and moanings.

“All (Jeremy) had to do was go and do what Brandon did, shut up and go learn,” said Vaccaro. “He obviously isn’t doing that. He thinks that he’s Kevin Garnett.”