Tag: Cassius Winston NBA Draft

Cassius Winston a first rounder in ESPN’s latest NBA mock draft

Winston and Xavier Tillman Sr. are both selected in the top 40 of ESPN’s latest mock draft.

The NBA Draft order is set and that means it is time for more mock drafts!

Former Michigan State Spartan Cassius Winston is slotted in at No. 29 overall in ESPN’s latest mock draft. Of the former Big Ten Player of the Year, author Jonathan Given writes, “Starting Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet together means there is room to draft for depth at the point guard spot, especially with VanVleet entering free agency. Winston is an All-American and one of the best pick-and-roll players in this draft class, meaning he might be able to contribute relatively early in his NBA career.”

Winston isn’t the only Spartan in the two-round mock. Xavier Tillman Sr., who announced his intention to stay in the draft at the beginning of August, is mocked to the Memphis Grizzlies at No. 40 overall. If that were to come to fruition Tillman would join back up with former MSU teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. to form a formidable defensive front court.

The NBA Draft is set for October 16.

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Cassius Winston tells The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie why teams should draft Xavier Tillman

Michigan State basketball player Cassius Winston gives a pitch to Sam Vecenie on why teams should draft his former teammate Xavier Tillman.

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Cassius Winston recently sat down with Sam Vecenie of The Athletic for an interview on the “Game Theory” podcast. In this interview, Winston and Vecenie discussed the 2020 NBA Draft but with a twist.

Vecenie asked Cassius for a pitch on why NBA teams should draft fellow teammate Xavier Tillman.

Listen to Winston’s pitch for Tillman in the draft below:

Putting aside my bias, Cassius Winston is 100% right on Xavier Tillman’s draft stock and potential in the league. Tillman is a sturdy defender in the paint, an exceptional rebounder and he can set reliable screens for teammates. A smart team will steal Tillman with a late, first-round draft pick.

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Rookie Wire has Xavier Tillman, Cassius Winston in second-round of 2020 NBA Mock draft

The most recent version of the Rookie Wire has Xavier Tillman and Cassius Winston both projected as second-round picks. Read more info here.

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Rookie Wire’s 2020 NBA Draft Big Board 3.0 has Xavier Tillman and Cassius Winston both listed as second-round picks. Tillman has officially declared for the 2020 NBA Draft and will not return to East Lansing for another season. This certainly changes the outlook of the 2020 NBA draft, especially as other Big Ten players return to the NCAA.

Here is where Rookie Wire writer Bryan Kalbrosky projects each player along with his thoughts:

Xavier Tillman – No. 31 Pick

Xavier Tillman was averaging 13.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.1 blocks, 3.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game before the season abruptly ended. He had been among the most prolific pick-and-roll finishers in the NCAA this season. His assist percentage (18.3%) ranked in the top 15 nationally among all players 6-foot-8 or taller. Outside of Stanford’s Tyrell Terry, his decision to remain in the 2020 NBA Draft was far and away the most notable among all prospects who were testing the waters — which explains why he jumped so high in our rankings as we had previously expected him to return to college.

Cassius Winston – No. 44 Pick

Cassius Winston had a career assist rate (43.1%) that ranks sixth-best among college players since the 2009-10 season. Winston is already an incredibly capable finisher and distributor out of the pick-and-roll, which will help his game translate to the next level. He also has been productive as a shooter off the catch, off the dribble and off screens — shooting above 40% from 3-point range on each of those attempts.

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