BOSTON — Xavier Tillman has never, ever been the quiet guy in a room.
“For as long as I’ve been alive, I’ve been known as a talker,” Tillman said. “You ask my mom and my siblings, I’ve always been a talker. I’ve always felt comfortable enough to speak my opinion. Whether you take it or not? That’s another question. But, I’ll say my two cents.”
And all season long, Tillman has been saying those two cents — so much so that, despite racking up DNPs, the 26-year-old has become one of the most important voices in the locker room.
When asked about leadership on the Celtics last week, Jaylen Brown brought up Tillman on his own accord: “X, his voice is important.”
Xavier Tillman’s vulnerability, openness paves the way for teammates
But for those who know Tillman, it’s no surprise to see that he’s once again established himself as a culture-setter.
This year, with Al Horford and Jrue Holiday both on new teams, the Celtics have far fewer established veteran voices. So, despite having nowhere near Horford and Holiday’s amount of NBA experience, Tillman has assumed a significant leadership role.
“He’s almost become, quickly, a vet for us,” Joe Mazzulla said. “I’ve been very appreciative of how he’s handled just the trajectory of his role here.”
It’s been almost two years since Tillman was traded from the Memphis Grizzlies to the Celtics, just months before the team won its 18th championship. He arrived in Boston with three children and the hopes of bolstering the team’s frontcourt.
And, while he’s had several big moments in green — none bigger than a three-point shot late in Game 3 of the NBA Finals — he’s mostly been out of the rotation.
Last year, Tillman appeared in just 33 games. This year, despite the Celtics having significantly less frontcourt depth, it’s been more of the same; he’s only appeared in 8 of the team’s first 20 games, and in 2 of the last 11.
However, his impact has never been limited to the number of minutes he plays; it begins with an authenticity and vulnerability that past and current teammates both praise.
“Wherever he is, people just gravitate to his energy,” said Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams, who was teammates with Tillman on the Grizzlies for three seasons. “He’s the ultimate locker room guy.”
NBA locker rooms typically juggle loads of competing interests: guys battle for playing time, contracts, roster spots, off-court endorsements — the list goes on. It’s easy to assume that other players have agendas, or that their moods and demeanor are completely influenced by their minutes or play on the court.
But Tillman knows that basketball is just a slice of the pie, in part because he’s experienced life’s extreme highs and lows. He’s a father of three; his kids typically accompany him and his wife, Tamia, to games. His first was born while he was still in high school.
And, he’s experienced some of life’s most painful moments, losing his own father, Roosevelt, during the Celtics’ title run in 2024.
As such, he takes it upon himself to consistently check in on how guys are doing off the floor.
“Everybody needs to speak their two cents so that nobody’s assuming that somebody has an agenda they don’t have,” Tillman said. “If somebody is not on their A-game today, and somebody just comes and says, ‘See, he’s always like this!’ versus, ‘No, he’s experiencing something off the court.’”
“But if you don’t talk to them, you don’t know, and then you go into judging. So it’s very important that you get to know people. And then it’s also important on the other side — that if you are feeling some type of way, you got to voice how you’re feeling, so then everybody can move accordingly to try to help.”
At its core, the approach is straightforward.
Check in on one another.
Be vulnerable.
Don’t assume worst intent.
Remember that there is more to life than basketball.
But the approach is actually pretty unusual, said Orlando Magic guard Tyus Jones, who played with Tillman in Memphis for three seasons.
“That’s something that kind of gets glossed over in this field that we work in – a lot of times we’re looked at differently than just human beings, [as though] we don’t have an outside life or other things going on besides basketball,” Jones said. “And X, I think, understands that.”
So, he’s made a concerted effort to open up and share what he’s going through, in hopes that makes it easier for others to do the same.
“You just have to do it yourself and be as vulnerable as possible,” he said. “You really can’t force anybody to do anything, but as you are more authentic to yourself, then more and more people feel more comfortable. Like, you know what, if he can do it, why can’t I do it?”
Keeping life in perspective
After a preseason game-winner — his second as a Celtic — Tillman was asked about his proclivity for clutch plays.
He shrugged.
“I got three kids — there’s really nothing to stress about. I got real life at home, so I’m not too worried about what happens here.”
Tillman smiled when answering the question, but his answer reflected a perspective that others sometimes lack, especially in the heat of competition: that life is much bigger than basketball.
A few months later, he elaborated on the sentiment: “Basketball is like a safe haven for me to where everything that’s happening off the court, I can put it on pause for two hours, three hours, and just kind of be present and focus on this and find the joy in this.”
Teammates have long noted that Tillman’s commitment to fatherhood appears to have shaped his outlook.
“He’s the ultimate family man,” Williams said. “I think that’s a big part of the reason why he’s so open and just so easy to talk to. When you have your first kid in high school, you got to learn quick.”
Current teammates have observed the same.
“He definitely has his priorities straight — he’s a father of three at home, he’s a husband, and that’s his main thing,” Sam Hauser said.
Xavier Tillman capitalized on a much-awaited opportunity against the Cavs
On Sunday, after accruing 9 DNPs in 10 games, Tillman got the unexpected start and laced up for a season-high 30 minutes, finishing with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 block.
The well-rounded performance may have surprised fans who have grown accustomed to exclusively seeing Tillman on the sidelines.
But it didn’t surprise his coaches and teammates.
“Whether he plays or doesn’t play, there’s a level of trust that I have when we do go to him, he’s going to deliver,” Mazzulla said. “Because you know who he is on and off the court.”
The performance, which was critical in the Celtics’ 117-115 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, showcased Tillman at his best; he was active defensively, crashed the offensive glass, and anchored an undersized Celtics defense.
Most impressively, after tallying just 13 minutes of playing time throughout the entire month of November, he was ready to go when his number was called.
But, even in the weeks when it wasn’t, his impact on the locker room never wavered.
“He comes in every day and works, has gratitude for where he’s at,” Sam Hauser said. “Even though he hasn’t had many opportunities this year, he stays ready. He’s in the gym working for when his number is called. He’s ready. It’s always good to have guys like that who, no matter how it’s going for them, they put the team before themselves, and he’s just a great teammate to have.”
Opening up doesn’t come naturally for every player. But Tillman’s extreme openness has made it easy for others to do the same.
“That is contagious in a locker room,” Tyus Jones said. “It’s contagious to be around. It empowers you.”
That’s the hope.
“The more that you’re yourself, people will start to break out of the shell and start to feel like, ‘Okay, if he can be himself and I can be myself, then at least one person will like me for being myself,’” Tillman said.
And that’s what makes Tillman a culture-setter, regardless of his on-court play.
“He has a maturity and a professional perspective,” Mazzulla said. “He just gives back to the locker room.”