Former Atlanta Hawks player’s NBA dream has been dealt another blow

The Atlanta Hawks almost gave big man Justin Tillman a chance at fulfilling his dream of playing in the NBA. They did give him a ten-day contract during the height of the Covid-19 crisis that hit the Hawks around Christmas. However, he did not get any court time during this stint with the varsity squad.

However, what Tillman did with the College Park Skyhawks was impressive. At one point he was leading the G League in rebounds per game which is impressive. This actually happened after he was called up to the Hawks. It is amazing what can happen when a carrot is dangled in front of a player.

This is one of the main reasons that the Skyhawks were one of the hottest teams in the G League at the end of last season. However, thanks to their poor start to the season, the Skyhawks had a really difficult playoff run against one of the better teams all season and were knocked out.

So how did the former Atlanta Hawks player’s dream take a blow?

Well, during the offseason the former Skyhawks standout signed a deal with the Denver Nuggets. Unfortunately. the Nuggets waived Tillman last month. However, this does not mean that it is over for the former Skyhawks big man.

As part of the Chris Silva trade which earned the Skyhawks his returning player rights, Tillman’s returning player rights went to the Grand Rapids Gold where he will play the 2022-23 G League season.

This is where the 6’8″ center will play this season as he looks to continue to develop into a player who can make the next step. If the right team gives Tillman a chance he could develop into a very good rotation piece.

Still, Tillman has a chance to stand out in the coming G League season and has the ability to showcase his abilities. If he can do this then the world could be his oyster.