Fresh off a championship, the Boston Celtics did the unthinkable—they brought almost everybody back. That includes Luke Kornet, Neemias Queta, and perhaps most importantly, Xavier Tillman.

Almost every recent champion ends up losing a rotation piece the following season. The 2021 Milwaukee Bucks lost PJ Tucker. The 2022 Golden State Warriors lost Gary Payton II. The 2023 Denver Nuggets lost Bruce Brown.

Boston didn’t lose a single regular rotation player. They even got extensions done with Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Sam Hauser, securing their core for years to come.

But just because they virtually have the same roster doesn’t mean the team will be the same. And amid all the injuries and aging stars in Boston, fans should be pumped up to watch Tillman ball out.

Celtics fans should be very excited to watch Xavier Tillman

The Celtics acquired Tillman at the trade deadline last year in exchange for Lamar Stevens and second-round picks. While he didn’t play much in the regular season, he came up big for them in the postseason.

Kristaps Porzingis’ injury issues persisted in the NBA Finals, and in Game 3, Tillman stepped up and played important minutes. He locked down Luka Doncic on switches and even buried a clutch corner three to help seal the win and a 3-0 lead in the series.

“Xavier was amazing tonight,” Al Horford said after Game 3. “His energy, defensively he held his own, time and time again. He was just ready for the moment. It’s not easy being in that position. He came in and he knocks down that big three as well. But defensively he was special.”

Kornet and Queta will get plenty of opportunities, but Tillman could be primed to be the next rotation big in Boston, and next season could be the start of that.

At 6-foot-8, Tillman excels as a perimeter defender, but he’s also big enough to bang down low with some of the best centers in the NBA. Having that sort of defensive versatility coming off the bench is a huge luxury for the Celtics.

Tillman’s offensive game needs a bit of polishing, but he’s an impressive offensive rebounder for his size and has shown some potential from behind the three-point line.

That’s where the developmental story lies. If Tillman can become a reliable shooter from deep, he could very well be Boston’s next Horford. That’s why fans should be excited to watch him—he’s getting to follow in the footsteps of the very guy the Celtics should want him to emulate.

With Porzingis set to miss significant time to begin the year and Horford needing more and more rest at 38 years old, fans should expect to see a lot of Tillman next season. And they should be pumped up about it.