An injury-plagued center from a reputable collegiate program? It’s Philadelphia 76ers heaven.
The Philadelphia 76ers will enter the 2020 NBA Draft with five second-round picks. Volume breeds variety, and while the Sixers will probably trade some of those picks away, the chance to address multiple needs on the same night is a positive.
Killian Tillie is a personal favorite of mine — maybe the year’s most underrated prospect. He’s top-25 on my big board, yet most mocks have him in the mid-to-late second round. There exists a sharp disconnect between public opinion and draft-night expectations.
The reason for that disconnect is simple: injuries.
Tillie has struggled to stay healthy in his four years at Gonzaga, and durability concerns are a one-way ticket to front office paranoia. We’ve seen Michael Porter Jr. — the consensus No. 1 prospect out of high school — almost drop out of the lottery. When teams are unsure of a player’s health, they’re quick to disregard talent.
Some would call Tillie a lottery talent. If he made in through college with a clean bill of health, he’d probably be in the top-10 discussion. He has the chance to genuinely impact winning on a competitive team. Gonzaga is a premier breeding ground for NBA prospects. The Sixers need depth behind Joel Embiid and Al Horford. Tillie, as a mid-second round pick, could do the trick.
Strengths
Tillie’s role over four seasons at Gonzaga was a roller coaster. When he was on the floor, however, he produced, and this past season was no exception. Tillie averaged 13.6 points and 5.0 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per game. His 40 percent success rate from deep was a career low. His 3-point stroke is honey-sweet.
Listed at 6-foot-10 and 220 pounds, Tillie brings impressive size and skill to the frontcourt. He can shoot 3s at a high volume, he can work the mid-range, and he’s acclimated to the pick-and-roll. Tillie is also a brilliant passer in the frontcourt — he reads the floor better than any center (or forward) in this class.
It’s rare to find bigs who can move, shoot, and pass as fluidly as Tillie does. The ball never sticks too long. He can spray passes all over the floor, and at 6-foot-10, it’s easy for him to peak over defenders and nail open shooters or cutters.
When he’s not moving the ball, Tillie is happy to move without it. He cuts to open spaces and curls around screens with the effectiveness of a wing. He’s one of the quintessential modern bigs who can function in roles normally reserved for smaller players.
Inside, Tillie makes up for limited explosiveness and length with plenty of finesse. He can finish with either hand, and he’s capable of reaching deep into his bag to evade defenders. Tillie can play either the four or five on paper, but due to his injury history, teams may be inclined to pigeonhole him as a four until further notice.
As for defense, Tillie provides more value than one might expect. He’s not long, nor is he broad-shouldered, but his instincts and feel for the game shine. Tillie moves his feet in space, he uses his hands disruptively inside, and he knows how to maintain position without fouling. As far as team defense goes, Tillie should be more than fine — especially if he’s placed next to a rim protector.
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.
Fit with the Sixers
The Sixers have frontcourt talent to spare with Joel Embiid, Al Horford, Tobias Harris, and even Ben Simmons. Not to mention newcomer Norvel Pelle and oldcomer Mike Scott. But the Sixers could still use some insurance at the five spot once Kyle O’Quinn inevitably walks this summer.
Tillie’s appeal is rooted foremost in his skill. He can space the floor, he can play behind or next to Joel Embiid, and he’s a ball-mover — all things Brett Brown is sure to appreciate. On defense, he’s smart beyond his years and should quickly adjust to the speed of NBA basketball, if not necessarily the physicality.
Another added benefit for the Sixers, however, is their five second-round picks. They can afford to take risks on someone like Tillie, who may never play basketball. Even if Tillie flops, the Sixers will have multiple other picks to spend on safer options.
I’m of the opinion Philadelphia should target Tillie precisely for that reason. Again, he’s top-25 on my personal board. He’s a gifted player who brings a lot to the floor, even on a team already saddled with frontcourt talent. He’s a high-risk, high-reward gamble in a part of the draft when the risk isn’t really that high.