Sports Illustrated Top 80 Big Board: Spartans Winston, Tillman
The NBA Draft wasn't held in June, nor will it be in October since the league agreed to push the date back even further.
Its new date is Wednesday, November 18, which means Spartan Nation has extra time to bring you guys more updates surrounding two former Michigan State basketball players: Cassius Winston and Xavier Tillman Sr.
Sports Illustrated's Jeremy Woo updated his NBA Draft big board for the first time since May due to some players returning to college.
Tillman is ranked No. 26; Woo thinks, "there may not be a better big man in the draft."
"When it comes down to the small details, and his hard-nosed, smart approach to interior play is tailor-made for an NBA role. His strength and balance help compensate for his lack of height, and he should be able to give teams immediate help off the bench with his defensive chops, rebounding, playmaking, and screen-setting," Woo said. "
Tillman isn't a great jump shooter, nor is he a particularly skilled scorer, but he does so many other things well that it may not matter a ton. His range starts around here and ends around No. 40, which makes him a strong bet to deliver value."
The former Spartan point guard came in at No. 41, a long-time leader for Michigan State having won multiple Big Ten regular-season titles and tournament victories.
"Winston has undeniable chops as a floor leader, and the hope is that he'll return closer to his sparkling junior year form moving forward. His body type (and how well it will hold up in the NBA) continues to be an impediment for some scouts, but he's a great decision-maker and situational scorer with a knack for making positive things happen.
"Winston profiles well as a backup point guard, but he's likely to get picked on defensively, and his lack of athletic upside limits the value proposition here," said Woo. "But it won't be a shocker if he figures out a way to stick as a second-unit playmaker."
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