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Magic Johnson praises all-around work of Xavier Tillman heading into NBA Draft
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Xavier Tillman has worked hard every year in college, and now he’ll try and make it to the NBA starting Wednesday evening.
Tillman really began to develop during his sophomore season with the Spartans, starting 14 games and averaging 10 points and 7.3 rebounds under Tom Izzo. That turned out to be just the beginning of his growth
As a junior, Tillman averaged a double-double with 13.7 points and 10.3 rebounds, but his biggest jump came as a passer. Tillman improved his assist total from 1.6 as a sophomore to 3.0 as a junior. He also averaged more than two blocks and more than one steal per game after working hard on his conditioning in the offseason.
Tillman’s draft prospects continue to be a bit of a question mark with many in the industry split on his future in the NBA. However, Magic Johnson took the time to give his endorsement to Tillman Monday evening.
He spoke to Tillman’s toughness and versatility, even labeling Tillman the best big man defender in this year’s draft:
A big man NBA teams should be looking at is MSU's Xavier Tillman. He's physical, tough, smart, and averages 13 points and 10 rebounds. The best defender as a big in this year's draft! @Rookiedunker
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) November 16, 2020
Tillman has definitely been a productive college player and has an intriguing skill set for the way the NBA is played these days. Time will tell if any team believes enough in his abilities to make him a first-round draft pick.
Coverage for the NBA Draft will air Wednesday evening at 8 pm EST on ESPN.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.