Tag: xavier tillman

Watch Xavier Tillman Sr. receive his NBA championship ring from the Boston Celtics

Xavier Tillman Sr. had a huge smile on his face as he got his championship ring

It’s been official for a while, but now he has the ring to prove it.

Michigan State basketball legend Xavier Tillman Sr. is an NBA champion, an honor he earned with the Boston Celtics when they dismantled the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals in June. On Tuesday night, he received his ring on opening night as Boston celebrated the title and raised a championship banner to the rafters.

You can watch him get the ring below with a huge, well-deserved smile on his face:

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Jay Bilas leaves Michigan State basketball off ‘what-if’ list for 2020 NCAA Tournament

Jay Bilas left MSU off his list of the biggest ‘what-ifs’ about the canceled 2020 NCAA Tournament

The 2020 NCAA Tournament was famously canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to that, it will always be one of the biggest ‘what-ifs’ in college basketball history, as multiple teams felt they had a good shot to make a run at a championship.

College basketball analyst Jay Bilas made a list of his biggest ‘what-ifs’, and one team, the 2020 Michigan State basketball team, didn’t get a single mention in his list, which included San Diego State, Kansas, Gonzaga, Dayton, and Baylor.

This will definitely irk a lot of Michigan State fans, as many who watched that team, which featured a fully developed duo of Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman, won a share of the Big Ten title that year (the Big Ten Tournament was also canceled), and many in the MSU world felt that the team was poised to make a run. Michigan State even won in a simulation of the tournament from ESPN.

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MSU basketball hosts annual ‘Grind Week’ with alumni, current players

Michigan State basketball opened its doors for alumni this weekend in its annual “Grind Week” event

Michigan State basketball opened its doors for alumni this weekend in its annual “Grind Week” event.

“Grind Week” is an annual event the Spartans’ program hosts where the current team and numerous former players practice together and celebrate Michigan State basketball. This is the fourth annual year the Spartans have hosted this event.

Based on posts from the Spartans’ social media team, former players such as Draymond Green, Xavier Tillman, Max Christie and Tyson Walker came back to Michigan State for the event. Check out some fun posts on the social media platform X that Michigan State shared from this year’s event:

https://twitter.com/MSU_Basketball/status/1834738019498381376

https://twitter.com/MSU_Basketball/status/1835011442833342677

https://twitter.com/MSU_Basketball/status/1834638775831658942

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

Boston Celtics sign Xavier Tillman Sr. to two-year deal

It was especially important for the Celtics to bring back reserve big man Xavier Tillman Sr. to help shore up the depth in Boston’s frontcourt rotation.

The Boston Celtics are likely going to be without the services of star center Kristaps Porzingis for much of the looming 2024-25 NBA season as the Boston big man recovers from the injury that he picked up early in the 2024 NBA Finals.

For this reason, it was especially important for the Celtics to bring back reserve big man Xavier Tillman Sr. to help shore up the depth in Boston’s frontcourt rotation. Now, with Tillman back in the fold along with reserve centers Neemias Queta and Luke Kornet (who just signed their own new deals with Boston), the Celtics look poised to weather KP’s absence.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took a closer look at the deal and what it means for Boston. Check it out below!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Celtics sign Xavier Tillman Sr. to two-year deal, run it back

Tillman averaged 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds last season with Boston.

Free agent Boston Celtics forward Xavier Tillman Sr. has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Celtics, sources tell ESPN. Tillman averaged 5.3 points and 3.9 rebounds last season with Boston.

CLNS Media reporter Bobby Manning took some time to react to the move on a special edition of the “Garden Report” podcast. Manning also discusses the team’s ability to sustain their frontcourt rotation next season through the time star Boston big man Kristaps Porzingis will miss as he recovers from surgery. With this signing, the Celtics have now filled 14 of their 15 roster spots for the coming 2024-24 campaign.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what Manning had to say about the potential impact of the Tillman signing.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” “Celtics Lab,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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What Boston Celtics President of Basketball Ops Brad Stevens said about Xavier Tillman re-signing

Brad Stevens had nothing but good things to say about Xavier Tillman after he agreed to return to Boston

On Tuesday, the Boston Celtics made the move to bring back MSU basketball legend and former center Xavier Tillman on a two-year deal, a move which will help keep their championship team intact moving forward.

After the signing, Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens spoke very highly of Tillman and what he brings to the team, as reported by Chris Forsberg of NBCS Boston:

“When we got Xavier at the trade deadline, he came with the reputation of a winner and great teammate,” said Brad Stevens. “Xavier is a hard-worker who brings grit, toughness, and a team-first mentality that we appreciate. We are excited that Xavier has chosen to come back to the Celtics.”

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Former MSU basketball C Xavier Tillman agrees to return to Boston Celtics on two-year deal

Xavier Tillman agrees to return to Boston Celtics on two-year deal

Former MSU basketball center Xavier Tillman just won his first championship as an NBA player with the Boston Celtics, and now he will return to the Celtics. On Tuesday, Tillman signed a two-year deal with the Celtics.

Tillman had a solid season for the Celtics as their third big man, and he had a big moment in the Finals when he shutdown Luka Doncic in game three.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

How might the Boston Celtics approach Xavier Tillman Sr.’s looming free agency?

Does the team’s front office believe he will grow into a larger role with more playing time?

How might the Boston Celtics approach Xavier Tillman Sr.’s looming free agency? Picked up via trade late in the Celtics’ 2023-24 campaign from the Memphis Grizzlies to help bolster a slightly shaky big man rotation, Tillman’s fit has been good when his number has been called, if occasionally a bit raw as one might expect.

Does the team’s front office believe he will grow into a larger role with more playing time? And how likely is it that he will get an offer that could price him out of Boston’s range?

“After such a strong start to his career in Memphis, Tillman will be hoping for a bigger role than mere regular season depth even on the world’s best team, as well as greater paydays,” writes HoopsHype’s Mark Deeks.

“That said, given that he did exactly what was asked and expected of him, perhaps both such things remain possible in Boston,” he adds. “And the price paid to Memphis of two future second-round picks suggests the team’s brain trust envisions Tillman as a piece of the future.”

We concur that there should be a role and playing time for Tillman, especially given the Celtics’ tendency to sit their star big men and looming free agency for other depth options in the frontcourt. But at least for now, a return is on the table.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Xavier Tillman wins first NBA championship after Boston Celtics defeat Dallas Mavericks

Xavier Tillman wins first NBA championship after Boston Celtics defeat Dallas Mavericks

For the first time in his NBA career, former Michigan State basketball star Xavier Tillman is an NBA champion. Tillman won his first title on Monday night after the Boston Celtics beat the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the NBA Finals.

While Tillman was a depth player for Boston this year, he had a huge moment in these finals when an injury to Kristaps Porzingis led to him playing some crucial minutes in game three, and he impressed, locking down Luka Dončić on defense and hitting a big three.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Celtics trusted Xavier Tillman’s familiarity against Dallas

The Boston Celtics put their trust in Xavier Tillman on Wednesday due to his experience playing against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Boston Celtics secured a third straight victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday (June 12). Joe Mazzulla’s team kept their unbeaten road record alive despite Kristaps Porzingis being ruled out of the game with injury. Without the veteran big man in the rotation, Joe Mazzulla turned to Xavier Tillman to help fill some of the minutes that had become available.

When speaking to the media as part of his postgame news conference, Mazzulla admitted that Tillman’s involvement was due to his experience facing the Mavericks during his tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies. Mazzulla also stated that the Celtics ran a defensive scheme similar to Taylor Jenkins’ roster.

“He played in the Western Conference for three or four years, and so he’s played against the Mavs,” Mazzulla said. “And so he’s had that experience. Memphis has used a similar game plan, so he was used to that. I thought with that comfort level of playing against those guys for so long, he was going to be able to execute the things that we needed to execute.”

Tillman has struggled for consistent playing time since joining the Celtics at the Feb. 8 trade deadline. However, his strength and versatility made him a prime candidate to fill some of the minutes that Porzingis’ absence had made available. 

Boston and Dallas will face off for Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday (June 14). If Porzingis is ruled out of the contest, Tillman may get another chance to shine in what could be a potential close-out game.

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