A lot of attention to scorers and shooters in the 2020 NBA Draft is being paid by the Boston Celtics media as they try to divine which prospects might fit best coming off of Boston’s bench in 2020-21, but Forbes Sports’ Chris Grenham makes a case that a particular big man with an aptitude for passing could be among the team’s most appealing targets they’ve interviewed yet.
That prospect, Michigan State’s Xavier Tillman, titillates the Forbes analyst with his floor generalship, the 6-foot-9, 245 lb. big man possessing an especially acute floor vision for his position.
Projected to go early in the second round to late in the first by most analysts, Grenham believes the Michigan native ought to be an option for the Celtics with one of their latter two first round picks, noting the high-character nature of the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Xavier Tillman, best short roll passer in the draft: pic.twitter.com/3C9BJVMfW7
— Spencer (@SKPearlman) September 11, 2020
Tillman’s passing became such an important part of the Spartan’s offense that coach Tom Izzo made it a focal point of the team’s practice regimen (per Grenham).
“Once coach saw that I was comfortable with it, that literally became a segment in our practice – for me to just come off of it and he’d have the defense run different schemes. He wouldn’t tell me, but he’d have them run a different scheme and I’d come out and make my reads.”
“He’d tell me to trust my gut and make the right play, and that’s kind of what I did,” added Tillman.
His shooting is still a work in progress at 66.7% from the stripe and 26% from beyond the arc, but he’s been putting in work ever since he stepped on campus.
Mike Gorman unsure if Hayward stays long-term, wants scoring in draft https://t.co/MVzY0nZXz0
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 3, 2020
“I put up shots in the morning before class, during my workouts, and then at the end of the day, I’d shoot on the gun by myself,” Tillman explained.
“It was a lot of shooting but that was because coach said it was the next step. That’s when I really started, and my form has only been getting better. Before, I didn’t use my legs at all. It was all arms and I pushed the ball. Now, I’m incorporating my legs and getting some lift on my shot.”
Tillman also believes he’ll be able to make an immediate impact at the pro level defensively as a hard worker with a high basketball IQ.
Celtics believe Romeo Langford has a ‘bright future’ after rookie year https://t.co/AcUIpUzmug
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 2, 2020
“I learned at Michigan State that all of those things are effort-related,” he explained.
“It doesn’t take anything but hustle to get rebounds, to dive on the floor and to set a screen and get a guy open. Those are things that I pride myself on because I know other people won’t do them, but I know that they’re necessary to get wins.”
“I think I’ll be able to impact a team right away just off of those little things that I know I’m more than capable of and willing to do,” Tillman added.
Boston’s Ainge doesn’t regret standing pat at the trade deadline https://t.co/esjPoJ6rJG
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) October 1, 2020
The character, personality, and motor all point to a potential Danny Ainge pick, though the shooting remains a minor flag for evaluators. Even if it doesn’t end up coming along, Tillman’s other skills may well make for a long career in the NBA with a little luck.
But whether that career begins in Boston won’t be known until sometime in November when the 2020 NBA Draft — currently slated for the 18th of that month provisionally — finally rolls around.
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