Xavier Tillman prepared to fully embrace Boston, with one exception: the traffic

Xavier Tillman’s City Adventure with the Boston Celtics

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, went to college in East Lansing, and started his professional career in Memphis, Tennessee. Xavier Tillman has never been one for the city life. Now a member of the Boston Celtics, he finds himself experiencing urban living for the very first time.

Amidst towering buildings, dazzling lights, and the thunderous cheers of TD Garden crowds, Tillman made an interesting observation upon his arrival – it wasn’t about any of those typical city elements.

When confronted with tales of “Massholes” on the roads by reporters, Tillman admitted he had never heard that term before but quickly caught on to its meaning. With a deadpan expression, he remarked how even though unfamiliar with the word itself, he felt like he understood what it implied.

The bustling traffic emerged as Tillman’s primary encounter with city life so far; more specifically, life in Boston. Reflecting on this new environment and comparing it to his quieter experience in Memphis suburbs where traffic was scarce and roads were straightforward,

Tillman shared his astonishment at Boston’s elaborate road systems: tunnels weaving through congested streets left him amazed by the chaotic flow of vehicles around him. The 25-year-old acknowledged that while traffic could be daunting at times,

he found the urban setting fascinating and exciting due to its novelty compared to anything he had experienced before.