Pac-12’s Sixth Man of the Year will transfer to UNLV from Utah
Tillman is a transfer from Utah, where he played as a freshman in 2017-18 and a sophomore in 2018-19. He will enroll at UNLV this fall.
The sixth commitment at UNLV under Otzelberger, Tillman, a 6-foot-7-inch 225-pound forward, earned the 2018-19 Pac-12 Conference’s Sixth Man of the Year Award.
“Donnie is a proven, versatile wing who will immediately impact our program,” Otzelberger said. “An elite rebounder, he also has the ability to push the break and excel in transition. He is able to facilitate plays for himself as well as his teammates and his skill level while playing multiple positions offensively and defensively will make him a valuable weapon in the Mountain West.”
Starting 15 of his 31 games played last season for the Utes, he ranked third on the team in scoring with 10.5 points per game. He shot 43.9 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from 3-point range and 78.6 percent from the free-throw line. He was second on the team with 163 total rebounds (5.3 rpg) and he registered 18 double-digit scoring games, including a career-high 22 points at Arizona State.
As a freshman, Tillman played in 28 games, averaging 20.3 minutes per contest and he ranked fifth on the team in scoring with 7.8 ppg. Utah finished third in the Pac-12 in both of Tillman’s seasons as a Ute.
Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Tillman played three seasons at Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada, where he averaged 14.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg and shot 65 percent from the field as a senior. A four-star recruit by ESPN.com, he helped guide Findlay to a 33-4 record and an appearance in the national tournament’s semifinals.
He joins Jonah Antonio, David Jenkins Jr., Elijah Mitrou-Long, Vitaliy Shibel and Moses Wood as part of the Runnin’ Rebels’ 2019 recruiting class.
SEASON TICKETS: Season tickets for the 2019-20 UNLV men’s basketball campaign are on sale now. To purchase, visit UNLVtickets.com, call 702-739-FANS or visit the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office.
