Weaknesses
Injuries.
Injuries.
Injuries.
More injuries.
Here’s a list of what has maligned Tillie over the past four years, courtesy of The Ringer’s NBA Draft Guide: knee surgery, a torn ligament in his foot, a stress fracture in his ankle, a hip pointer, and sprained ankles.
Knee surgery is enough to put teams on edge. A torn ligament is enough to put teams on edge. A stress fracture is enough to put teams on edge. Combine all three, add a hip pointer, some sprained ankles, a few others nicks and bruises along the way, and you have a very worrisome medical history.
There’s a genuine chance Tillie never gets healthy enough to sustain a career in the NBA. That alone is probably what relegates him to the second round, even if teams love his skill set and his fit in the modern NBA.
Beyond injuries, Tillie is also lacking in the length department (6-foot-10 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan), which could make it difficult for him to survive at center. Add in concerns about decreased mobility due to his litany of leg injuries, as well as the general concerns that come with playing an oft-injured person at center in the NBA, and Tillie’s advertised versatility quickly becomes draped in red flags.
Teams should draft Tillie because of the upside. But the downside is very real.