Isaiah Livers and Xavier Tillman were both members of the high school graduating class of 2017.
Tillman's Grand Rapids Christian team won the their matchup in the state quarterfinals their senior year.
Livers, who attended Kalamazoo Central, won Mr. Basketball that year.
Livers went on to play at Michigan and made the Final Four his freshman season.
Tillman went to Michigan State and made the Final Four his sophomore season.
After having their junior seasons cut short because of COVID-19, both have decided to test the NBA waters with a year of college eligibility remaining.
Ramsey Nichols coached Livers at Kalamazoo Central and points his versatility as a major strength at the next level.
"I think that NBA teams will see a lot of things that he can do," Nichols said about Livers. "He is very versatile he can do a lot of things he has a lot of tools, he can shoot the ball, he can handle the basketball, he can rebound, he defends two or three different positions. I think his stock will rise once teams start to get a closer look at him."
Mark Warners coached Tillman at Grand Rapids Christian and says that his physique has helped prepare him for the next level.
"To see his body change the way it has and therefore his game changed," Warners said about Tillman. "He is able to do things and guard people, that surprises me a little bit, for a possession or two on the floor he can guard just about anybody."
The scouting process is intense. In Tillman's case, Warners has already been contacted by NBA teams and they have received a glowing review.
"You know he is going to work hard you see what he is," Warners said. "Maybe he is a little undersized for the NBA at some positions but he is going to make up for it because he works so hard and he is so, so smart."
These head coaches take great pride in seeing what these former student athletes have and continue to do.
"Happy for him," Nichols added. "It is rewarding for us as a staff, as a school and as a community to have a guy like Isaiah to represent us."
Both players will have the chance to pull their names out of the draft and return to school before the June deadline.
