Killian Tillie, Forward, Gonzaga (West #1 seed)
Season Averages: 6.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 61.6 TS%, 11.0 BPM
Killian Tillie isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire statistically, but he’s also missed time due to injury — something that’s plagued him throughout his college career. Tillie’s value, however, doesn’t lie with his insane statistical output, but with his rebounding ability (9.9 rebounds per-40 minutes) and his shooting (career 46.5 3PT%).
His drawbacks are mostly tied to his passivity on offense, as well as his injury history. He’s also not a disciplined defender, which leads to a lot of fouls (7.3 per-40 minutes). He is a solid defender though, so it’s worth wondering whether his foul numbers improve with the right coaching; Harry Giles part two, anyone?
His injury history is also concerning, especially after he suffered a torn plantar fascia that kept him out for the end of the regular season, though he returned for Gonzaga’s conference tournament. He also suffered injuries throughout the last season, which arguably ended Gonzaga’s championship hopes last season.
His fit with the Sacramento Kings is seamless, as he’d be a perfect stretch-forward off the bench for Sacramento. Coming off the bench could also help him avoid injury, though that’s a risky proposition.
Gonzaga is the West’s #1 seed and, barring any injuries, they could be favorites to win the title this year, giving Kings fans a good luck at the Junior big man.
Killian Tillie’s aggregate big board ranking is currently outside of the top-80, meaning he’s likely to go undrafted, though Tankathon.com currently has him going 45th overall, making him well-inside the Kings’ range to draft him.