Gonzaga Basketball: 2020 NBA Draft profile for forward Killian Tillie
By Andy Patton
Injuries prevented Gonzaga Basketball’s Killian Tillie from reaching his full potential, but if he stays healthy he will be a late-round steal in the 2020 NBA draft.
Gonzaga Basketball forward Killian Tillie has the talent to be a first-round pick in the upcoming 2020 NBA Draft, but he’ll almost certainly fall late into the second round.
That has nothing to do with the amount of talent in the draft class, as the class itself is actually considered one of the weaker and more volatile classes in recent memory.
Instead, it has to do with Tillie’s advanced age (23 in March) and his lengthy injury history. Tillie missed 38 games over his four years in a Gonzaga uniform, suffering injuries to his knee, ankle, foot, hip, and finger during his tenure in Spokane.
However – when he was on the court he showed enough skill and intelligence to be a potentially excellent NBA role player.
Across Tillie’s 108 college games, he averaged 9.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 54.8% from the field, 44.4% from downtown, and 75% from the free throw line.
At his best his senior year, Tillie averaged 13.6 points and chucked up 3.8 three-point attempts per game, knocking them down at a 40% clip. His sophomore season was equally impressive, averaging 12.9 points on a blistering 47.9% from downtown during the 2017-2018 season.
That year was capped off by one of the most incredible three-game stretches in school history during the WCC tournament in Las Vegas. Tillie averaged 24 points per game in those three games, shooting a nearly incomprehensible 13-for-14 from three-point range, a cool 93%.
Now, Tillie will look to enter the NBA after a decorated college career and possessing traits that are highly coveted in today’s NBA landscape.
Let’s take a look at Tillie’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as some NBA player comparisons, team fits, and potential landing spots in the upcoming NBA draft.