NBA Mock Draft: Michigan State's Tillman First-Round Pick
Xavier Tillman Sr. elected to remain in the 2020 NBA Draft instead of returning to East Lansing for one more run at a title with MSU.
Following many decisions by athletes around the country, CBS Sports released their updated mock draft, which featured Tillman being selected in the first round.
Kyle Boone, an NBA reporter for CBS Sports, predicted the Minnesota Timberwolves would take Tillman with the 17th overall pick.
"After grabbing Tyrese Haliburton earlier in this draft, let's get Minnesota some help down low defensively with Xavier Tillman, one of the most savvy and healthy bigs in this draft class. Tillman sets hard screens, plays above his size, and does all the little things that contribute to big winning -- the type of selfless player the Wolves need to maximize D'Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns.
"He should be able to shore up their bottom-10 defense and improve the team's frontcourt defense specifically, which is dragged down by Towns, who this season ranked 407th out of 529 players in defensive win shares," said Boone.
In his final season as a Spartan, Tillman averaged 13.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game while winning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Tillman's running mate, Cassius Winston, was just as productive in his senior year finishing with 18.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game (he also shot 43.2% from three-point land).
However, Boone doesn't believe he'll go in the first round anymore.
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