MEMPHIS, Tenn. — It has been roughly nine months since both Xavier Tillman Sr. and Desmond Bane played competitive basketball.
The coronavirus pandemic halted the NCAA basketball season right in its tracks and prevented the NBA from hosting Summer League in July. Now Tillman and Bane must learn as much as they can ahead of the start of the 2020-21 NBA season.
Tillman says he is learning a lot so far in training camp and isn’t sure what to expect in Minnesota when the Grizzlies play their first preseason game on Saturday.
“I don’t know,” Tillman said, while laughing during the Zoom interview press conference on Monday. “I feel good, right now. I can get up and down with the guys and not be overly tired where I can’t do anything after a couple of possessions. I feel good that way.”
Tillman says he is learning a lot from his fellow teammates. The 6-foot-8, big man out of Michigan State said he is soaking up all the knowledge he can from everyone because it will help prepare him for the upcoming season.
“I don’t have just one person,” Tillman said. “From Tyus to Gorgui or JV, anybody. Ja, Jaren, everybody.”
Tillman said his style of play will compliment his fellow teammates. He said he is a guy that loves setting screens which will allow guys like Ja Morant and others to attack the rim.
“Getting guys who are also playmakers or scorers who knows how to get buckets with the ball and getting them open, I gel with them a lot,” Tillman said.
Speaking of shooters, Desmond Bane also spoke with the media on Monday. Bane said going into Day 2 of training camp, he did not have any expectations of what camp and practice would look like on the NBA level. He said he came into camp eager to soak up knowledge as well.
“Just going into it with an open mind, ready to work and ready to learn,” Bane said. “I’ve learned a lot these first two days, and I still got a lot more to learn.”
Bane says in the first two days of camp, everyone has been competing at a high-level. He says he’s gotten the opportunity to guard both Dillon Brooks and fellow rookie Sean McDermott, which is helping him prepare for the season.
Bane says he is just blessed to be in this position.
“It’s just a surreal feeling to be able to put that NBA jersey on,” Bane said.
The Grizzlies will face-off against the Timberwolves in Minneapolis for the first preseason game on Saturday at 7 p.m.
