For all the talk about Michigan State not having any surefire draft picks on its roster, there’s at least one national writer who doesn’t think that’s the case.
The NBA draft was just one week ago, but 2020 mock drafts are starting to appear. Kyle Boone, a college hoops writer for CBS Sports published a 2020 mock draft and has Xavier Tillman being taken late in the first round.
Tillman slots in at 29 to the Toronto Raptors. Boone writes, “Marc Gasol is 34, Serge Ibaka is nearing 30: Toronto’s two bigs aren’t getting any younger. The franchise could look to rebuild with a blue-chip talent in Tillman, who flashed some tremendous talent and upside last season in a limited role. This season, as a junior, he should get shine on a Michigan State team that could win it all.”
The stock on Tillman has surged since he took over as the starting center when Nick Ward got injured last season. Tillman has shown the ability to defend a number of positions with excellent size, strength and athleticism.
Tillman averaged 10 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while averaging just 24 minutes. With an increased role those numbers are sure to rise for his junior campaign.
