BOSTON — From Grand Rapids Christian to Michigan State to the Boston Celtics, Xavier Tillman is an NBA champion.
“It was kind of an out of body experience honestly," said Xavier's mother Tayna Powell-May. "For all that Xavier has been through in the last year, just to be there at the finals and say my son’s name is going to be in the record books, it was phenomenal.”
Tillman is the first Grand Rapids native to be crowned an NBA champion.
“Wow, that’s what I have to say about that, wow. I know we’ve had some great players come out of West Michigan and to have that be Xavier is just wow," said Powell-May.
Powell-May traveled back and forth from Boston to Dallas for all five games of the NBA Finals.
"When it was over I just told him and I love him and I'm proud of him. "He thrived here in Boston, it was a really wonderful experience for him."
Tayna played basketball at the University of Michigan and said from an early age she knew Tillman could be something special.
“I could tell very early on because he had a love for the game and he worked, I didn’t make him work. He wanted to work and wanted to get better.”
With the Tillman family celebrating on the floor of the TD Garden there was one member missing. His father Roosevelt who unexpectedly passed away just a month ago.
“He would have been right there celebrating and popping champagne corks and celebrating the moment. All the memories and all the effort and work that he put in, he would have just really been celebrating with him."
A full circle moment for the entire Tillman family, watching the kid from Grand Rapids who will forever be able to call himself an NBA champion.
"To see him be able to be on this big major stage in basketball, a game that he loves, and to see the community celebrate with him is crazy."
Tillman will return to West Michigan for the summer and he'll host his annual youth camp in August.
