2018 NBA Mock Draft: The summer is decision time

Tillie unfortunately watched from the sidelines as his college career (possibly) came to a close two weeks ago, sitting out of Gonzaga’s Sweet 16 bout with Florida State. That’s the only thing I could imagine lingering in his mind that could cause him to come back to school after a dazzling sophomore season.

If a player is going to return to school, ideally they should do so with a larger role awaiting them. Someone waiting in the wings behind a great player, much like Tillie was as a freshman backing up Zach Collins, can return and get a better chance to show their talent and develop their skills as they prepare for the NBA. Tillie improved drastically this year, shooting nearly 50 percent from distance as the Bulldogs’ stretch center and earning more responsibility as the season rolled along.

By the end of the year, particularly in the WCC tournament, you could find Tillie driving to the lane and flashing a crossover and floater game that bought easy points for Gonzaga’s dominant offense. It’s remarkable that a stretch big could stand out so much on a team as talented as Gonzaga’s, and that just makes his season even more impressive.

Shooting has left the Celtics’ frontcourt this year in favor of defense and rim rolls. They need a player like Tillie.