Last Updated on July 28, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Tom McMillen was an intelligent NBA power forward and center whose efficient interior scoring, reliable rebounding, and fundamentally sound frontcourt play provided valuable depth for several teams throughout the late 1970s and 1980s. A high-IQ big man with soft touch around the basket and strong positional awareness, McMillen thrived in structured offenses while contributing steady two-way production in complementary roles.

Here is the detailed information about Tom McMillen, a former NBA player and politician:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Charles Thomas McMillen
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on May 26, 1952
  • Hometown: Elmira, New York, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 11 inches (211 cm)
  • Weight: 215 pounds (98 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 0 inches
  • Shoe Size: Size 17 (US)
  • Number: Wore jersey numbers 20, 54, and 40
  • Position: Power Forward / Center
  • High School: Mansfield High School in Mansfield, Pennsylvania
  • College: University of Maryland (1970–1974)
  • NBA Draft: Selected in the 1st round (9th overall pick) in the 1974 NBA Draft by the Buffalo Braves
  • Teams Played For:
    • Buffalo Braves (1975–1976)
    • New York Knicks (1976–1978)
    • Atlanta Hawks (1978–1983)
    • Washington Bullets (1983–1986)
  • Championship Rings: None in the NBA
  • Kids: Not publicly available
  • Siblings: Not publicly available

Player Archetype / Play Style

Tom McMillen’s player archetype was a skilled high-post big, the kind of forward-center who blended size with polish rather than overpowering force. At 6-foot-11 and 215 pounds, he had legitimate frontcourt length, but his game leaned more toward timing, touch, and feel than pure bruising physicality. Defensively, he fit best as a positional interior presence who used anticipation, size, and sound positioning to contest plays and hold up around the paint instead of playing as a pure shot-blocking enforcer. Offensively, his role was that of a smart complementary scorer who could finish inside, hit a jump shot, and keep the ball moving within a team structure; that reads clearly from both his production and his own description of his strengths as “head fakes,” “positioning,” “aggression,” “a fine jump shot,” and an appreciation for “playing a team game.” His play style was cerebral, efficient, and fundamentally sound, giving teams a floor-spacing, mid-post, and connective big-man option long before that profile became especially fashionable. (The Washington Post)

Scouting Report

Tom McMillen was unusual because his game was built on solving problems before they fully developed rather than overpowering defenders. The first thing you notice is how comfortable he looked operating from the elbows and high post, where he could pivot into handoffs, hit cutters the moment a help defender leaned the wrong way, or simply take the open mid-range jumper without rushing the possession. He wasn’t the kind of big who wanted every touch on the block, but when he established deep position with patient footwork and a strong post seal, he had enough touch over either shoulder to punish single coverage. Defensively, his value came from positioning more than recovery speed. He understood where the next pass was headed, rotated early as the low man and generally kept plays in front of him, although quicker forwards could force him into uncomfortable switches or drag him away from the paint through repeated screening actions. That’s where the trade-off appeared. He could orchestrate half-court offence and connect lineups with smart decisions, but he wasn’t going to create easy offence when possessions broke down into isolation or require aggressive hedge-and-recover responsibilities on the other end. To me, his best fit was alongside a more physical interior presence who could absorb the toughest post assignments while allowing McMillen to function as the offensive hub from the high post and secondary scorer. His style shared elements with Brad Miller’s passing-oriented frontcourt game, while there were flashes of Jack Sikma in the way he blended face-up skill, measured footwork and quiet decision-making without dominating the ball.

Sources:

University of Maryland Athletics — Maryland Record Breakers: Tom McMillen
Los Angeles Times — The Senate Can Wait: McMillen Still Making NBA Contribution
Basketball-Reference — Tom McMillen Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more