Xavier Tillman Sr. (Born January 12, 1999 in Grand Rapids, Michigan) is an American basketball player who has played for the Memphis Grizzlies in the National Basketball Association (NBA) since the 2020/21 season. Tillman is 2.03 meters tall and usually appears as a center. He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. He was selected in the 2020 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings in 5th place in the 2nd round, but traded directly to the Memphis Grizzlies.[1]
In his freshman season at Forest Hills Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he averaged 13.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.2 blocks. As a sophomore, he achieved an average of 15.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and thus led his to the regional semifinals and to 23 wins with only one defeat. For this achievement he was ins Detroit Free Press Class A All-State First Team called.[2]
In the summer of 2015, Tillman announced that due to the lack of cultural diversity and his desire to refocus academically, he wanted to move to Grand Rapids Christian High School.[3] His decision sparked a lawsuit between his parents that his father supported his change of school, while his mother wanted him to stay at Forest Hills Central. Ultimately, his move was allowed in August, but he was not allowed to play in his first semester due to the transfer rules of the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) and his direct complaint was denied.[4] In the part of his junior season in which he was allowed to play, Tillman averaged 16 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists with a throw rate of 62 percent.[2] As a senior, he averaged 13.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 4.2 blocks and led his school team to the Class A State championship game.[5] After the season ended, he was named among the finalists for the Michigan State Mr. Basketball and was placed in the Associated Press Class A First-Team All-State called.[6][7][8]
On September 30, 2016, Tillman announced that he had accepted Michigan State University’s scholarship offer.[9]
Tillman made his debut for Michigan State on November 10, 2017. He scored four points and three rebounds, helping the Spartans to a 98-66 win over the North Florida Ospreys.[10] On March 18, 2018, Tillman set a new career record in this category with 12 rebounds, but still lost 55:53 to Syracuse Orange in the second round of the 2018 NCAA tournament.[11] In his freshman season, he averaged 2.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game in 35 games.[12]
In the third game of his sophomore season, Tillman scored the first double-double of his career with 11 points and 13 rebounds, helping the Spartans to an 80:59 win against the ULM Warhawks.[13] On February 20, Tillman put on 19 points (career record) and 10 rebounds, helping the Spartans to a 71:60 win against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.[14] After the season ended, Tillman was promoted to Big Ten Conference Sixth Player of the Year appointed.[15] On March 31, in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament 2019, he set his career best with 19 points and also got nine rebounds and thus led the Spartans to a 68:67 win against the first-placed Duke Blue Devils.[16]
On November 18, 2019, in his junior season, Tillman scored a new career record with 21 points, he also got 10 rebounds and thus led Michigan State to a 94:46 win over Charleston Southern University.[17] On February 11, Tillamn got 17 points, 11 rebounds and a winning dunking with 6.6 seconds remaining, helping the Spartans to a 70:69 win over Illinois.[18] At the end of the season, Tillman was in the All-Big Ten Second Team appointed and for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year appointed.[19] As a junior, Tillman averaged 13.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.[20] After the season ended, Tillman announced his intention to sign up for the 2020 NBA draft.[21]
In the 2020 NBA Draft, Tillman was selected by the Sacramento Kings in 35th place, but was transferred directly to the Memphis Grizzlies.[1]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played (Games played) | GS | Play from the start (Games started) | MPG | Minutes completed per game (Minutes per game) |
| FG % | Throwing rate from the field (Field-goal percentage) | 3P % | Throwing quota three-point throws (3-point field-goal percentage) | FT % | Free throw rate (Free-throw percentage) |
| RPG | Rebounds pro Spiel (Rebounds per game) | APG | Assists pro Spiel (Assists per game) | SPG | Steals per game (Steals per game) |
| BPG | Blocks per game (Blocks per game) | PPG | Points per game (Points per game) | FAT | Career record |
NBA[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]
Main round[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]
| Season | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG % | 3P % | FT % | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–21 | Memphis | 59 | 12 | 18.4 | .559 | .338 | .642 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 6.6 |
| total | 59 | 12 | 18.4 | .559 | .338 | .642 | 4.3 | 1.3 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 6.6 | |
College[Bearbeiten | Quelltext bearbeiten]
- ↑ ab Evan Barnes: Grizzlies draft Michigan State’s Xavier Tillman after trade with Sacramento Kings. In: MSN. Retrieved November 19, 2020 (English).
- ↑ ab Xavier Tillman Biography on the Michigan State Spartans Official Website. Retrieved May 28, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Basketball standout Xavier Tillman to transfer to Grand Rapids Christian. Retrieved May 28, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Top basketball prospect Xavier Tillman cleared to transfer to Grand Rapids Christian. Retrieved May 28, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Class A boys: Tillman shakes nerves, lifts GR Christian to title game. Retrieved May 29, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Meet Mr. Basketball candidate Xavier Tillman of Grand Rapids Christian. Retrieved May 29, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Versatility sets apart Michigan State basketball signee Xavier Tillman. Retrieved May 29, 2021 (English).
- ↑ AP Class A boys basketball all-state teams. Retrieved May 29, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Michigan State basketball lands Michigan’s top recruit, Xavier Tillman. Retrieved May 29, 2021 (English).
- ↑ UNF vs MSU (11/10/17 at East Lansing // Breslin Center). Retrieved May 29, 2021 (English).
- ↑ No. 3 Michigan State Falls to No. 11 Syracuse in NCAA Second Round, 55-53. March 18, 2018, accessed on June 19, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Xavier Tillman College Stats. In: ESPN. Retrieved June 19, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Winston’s Big Second Half Helps Lead Michigan State Past ULM, 80-59. 14. November 2018, accessed on June 19, 2021 (English).
- ↑ No. 10 Michigan State Uses Second Half Run to Beat Rutgers, 71-60. Submission error: Internet source,
datum=2019-20-02, accessed on August 2, 2021 (English). - ↑ Michigan State Basketball: Xavier Tillman is Big Ten’s best 6th man. Retrieved August 2, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Michigan State’s Xavier Tillman shines vs. Duke’s Zion Williamson. Retrieved August 2, 2021 (English).
- ↑ No. 3 Michigan State beats Charleston Southern 94-46. Retrieved August 2, 2021 (English).
- ↑ See Xavier Tillman dunk in final seconds to give MSU win at Illinois basketball. Retrieved August 2, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Michigan State men’s basketball’s Xavier Tillman named Big Ten defensive player of the year. Retrieved August 2, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Rob Dauster: NBC Sports College Basketball All-American Teams. In: NBC Sports. March 24, 2020, accessed on August 2, 2021 (English).
- ↑ Rob Dauster: Michigan State forward Xavier Tillman will remain in the 2020 NBA Draft. In: NBC Sports. 2. August 2020, accessed on August 2, 2021 (English).
