Xavier Tillman was one of 20 players selected to the watch list for the 2020 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its sixth year recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men’s college basketball.
Tag: Xavier Tillman
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Family men: Xavier Tillman, Kyle Ahrens back for MSU after summer marriages
Near the end of the program’s media day on Tuesday afternoon, Xavier Tillman and Kyle Ahrens had a conversation that’s likely never been had between two Michigan State players. As they posed for a photo, the two exchanged notes about the wedding rings on their fingers: material, sizing, when they wear it and when they don’t. Wearing rings is new territory for the two Michigan State players, who are both still adjusting to married life.
Source: mlive.com
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Xavier Tillman juggles fatherhood, athletic aspirations
It was an action-packed offseason for junior basketball forward Xavier Tillman. Between getting married in May, going on a cruise in the Caribbean for his honeymoon and preparing for the upcoming season, the six-foot eight Grand Rapids native didn’t slow down.
Source: The State News
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Xavier Tillman ready for growing family, growing expectations
Early this summer Xavier Tillman realized he needed to drop a few pounds. “After the honeymoon it was getting my weight back down,” Tillman said. “I was eating good.”
Source: Detroit News
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Xavier Tillman expecting second child, chasing first championship
The 6-foot-8 junior from Grand Rapids has had an eventful summer — he married his longtime girlfriend Tamia Todd in May, and she is now pregnant with their second child. Their daughter Ayanna, or “Yanni,” who turns three in December, is a fixture in the program, often being babysat by Winston or other players.
Source: Detroit Free Press
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Xavier Tillman tells Andy Katz how MSU will handle the pressure this season.
“Teams will have a target on us, but every game we have to have a target on them. Otherwise, we could get beat by anybody.”
Xavier Tillman (@Rookiedunker) tells @TheAndyKatz how @MSU_Basketball will handle the pressure this season. pic.twitter.com/oImqfU0Yjr
— NCAA March Madness (@marchmadness) September 12, 2019
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Xavier Tillman now leading bigs
Xavier Tillman has a lot of responsibilities. He’s a father. A husband. A son. A student-athlete, and more. Add mentor to the list. The 6-foot-8 junior forward averaged 10.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game last year across 39 appearances in 2018-19. He started the Spartans’ final 13 games and found his niche complementing post players Nick Ward and Kenny Goins.
Source: DEtroit Free Press
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CBS Sports projects Xavier Tillman as first-round pick in 2020
Although no Michigan State players were drafted in 2019, CBS Sports’ Kyle Boone has at least one Spartan being picked in the 2020 draft. Junior center Xavier Tillman is projected to go 29th to the Toronto Raptors in Boone’s mock draft, which only includes the 30 first-round selections.
Source: Spartan Tailgate
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Moneyball interviews from The Drive with Jack
Listen to “Aaron Henry At Moneyball” on Spreaker.
Listen to “Nick Ward At Moneyball” on Spreaker.
Listen to “Malik Hall and Julius Marble At Moneyball” on Spreaker.
Listen to “Xavier Tillman At Moneyball” on Spreaker.
Listen to “Miles Bridges At Moneyball” on Spreaker.
Listen to “Lorenzo White At Moneyball” on Spreaker.
Listen to “Connor Heyward At Moneyball” on Spreaker.
Listen to “Danton Cole talks MSU Hockey and the Munn Arena Expansion” on Spreaker.
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4 Spartans are candidates for individual awards
Four expected Spartan starters have been identified by Andy Katz of NCAA.com as candidates for the top individual awards at their respective positions. Katz lists senior-to-be Cassius Winston as the favorite for the Bob Cousy Award, given annually to the top point guard in the country. Rising junior Xavier Tillman is Katz’s No. 2 candidate for the Karl Malone Award (top power forward); senior Joshua Langford is No. 3 among Julius Erving Award (top small forward) candidates, and sophomore Aaron Henry landed at No. 4 among preseason favorites for the Jerry West Award (top shooting guard).
Source: Spartan Tailgate
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Xavier Tillman: Michigan State’s cool, balanced Superman
Xavier Tillman is about three minutes into another incredibly thoughtful answer about Michigan State basketball and life and you stop to remind yourself something that’s often easy to forget in his presence. Tillman’s not a well-seasoned life coach, skilled in the art of offering perspective, discipline and time management skills. He’s a 20-year-old kid.
Source: Detroit Free Press
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Xavier Tillman earned his Final Four ring, now is ready for a wedding ring
Xavier Tillman is going to need to get his fingers sized. The Michigan State forward has already earned a Final Four ring by qualifying for an NCAA Tournament national semifinal matchup this Saturday with Texas Tech. He’ll hope to add the words “national championship” to that ring if the Spartans can advance to and win a Monday national title game. Then, next month, Tillman will slip on a different ring. He’s due to marry his fiancée, Tamia Todd, in mid-May.
Source: mlive.com
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How Xavier Tillman slowed Zion Williamson
The specter of Zion Williamson loomed large. Duke’s all-world freshman alters shots with his mere presence, creeping into the back of opponents’ heads like an invisible sixth defender. His 6-feet-7, 285-pound physique make other big men appear small. He becomes a wrecking ball as a scorer and offensive rebounder. The college basketball world knows him by one name. So will the NBA very soon. None of that bothered Xavier Tillman.
Source: Detroit Free Press
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To understand Xavier Tillman’s rise at MSU, start with his daughter
If you’d asked him three years ago if he could’ve imagined this life, before Tamia got pregnant, before he’d accepted a scholarship offer from MSU, before he’d lost 35 pounds, before he could stick to guards on high-ball screens, before he’d become the best student in the program — he won this year’s academic award with a 3.7 GPA — he couldn’t.
Source: Detroit Free Press
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Multiple Spartans garner Big Ten awards, recognition
Michigan State’s banner weekend extended into Monday night. After finishing as Big Ten co-champions Saturday and securing a third 2019 commitment Sunday, the Spartans had an impressive haul when the conference announced its postseason awards the following day.
Source: Spartan Tailgate
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With Big Ten title on the line, Xavier Tillman delivers again for Michigan State
Xavier Tillman was a huge factor in the win and a steady presence for Michigan State when it needed one. The sophomore forward made all three off his first-half field goal attempts for a team-high eight points, to go with four rebounds, four blocks, and a steal.
Source: mlive.com
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Tom Izzo: Xavier Tillman playing a bit like Draymond Green
“Xavier, that’s an area he’s gotta grow in, even though Xavier has the same toughness and strength and athletic ability (as Ward),” MSU coach Tom Izzo said Tuesday. “And yet Xavier is a little better at putting it on the floor from (the high post), maybe making a pass and sprinting into those screens, because that’s what he’s had to do to play.
Source: Detroit Free Press
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Xavier Tillman aiming for consistency as Nick Ward’s replacement
Xavier Tillman just wants to be himself. Tom Izzo agrees. Consistency will carry Tillman through the unknowable duration of Nick Ward’s absence, he said. And that could apply to the rest of No. 10 Michigan State’s healthy players, though none more than Tillman, who moves into Ward’s place in the starting lineup.
Source: Spartan Tailgate