When Killian Tillie’s first 3-point attempt didn’t drop during an NBA Summer League debut with the Boston Celtics, he didn’t flinch. When his driving floater rimmed out 70 seconds later, Tillie shrugged it off and moved to the next play. When another 3 missed toward the end of the first quarter, Tillie was hardly bothered.
When the former Gonzaga forward pulled up to the postgame media area at Cox Pavilion after making one of his five field -goal attempts in a five-point loss to the Miami Heat?
All smiles.
Tillie wasn’t oblivious to the stats – and accurately predicted his shooting percentages would straighten out over five games in Las Vegas – but on July 13, he wasn’t in a position to take issue with any of the digits that showed up on the box score.
Just as long as his name appeared on it.
“I was very happy to get back, because it was two, 2½ years of nothing. Just watching TV and it was just a lot of fun to be back out there,” Tillie said. “I know some shots didn’t really get in, but I didn’t care. I just shot the same shot over and over again and I was just happy to be out there, playing with some energy.”
Tillie’s layoff was much closer to 2½ years than two, and may feel more like three considering the physical agony and emotional pain he’s undergone in his time away from the game, especially at a crucial juncture of his career .
The official count is 851 days – 851 days between Tillie’s last game in a Memphis Grizzlies uniform, on March 15, 2022, against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and the Summer League opener on July 13 at UNLV.
