Tag: Drew Timme

Drew Timme continues to prove he deserves a shot on an NBA roster

Former Gonzaga big man Drew Timme dropped 19 points for the Sacramento Kings in NBA Summer League, could he make his debut this season?

Mark Few and the Gonzaga Bulldogs are producing NBA talent on a consistent basis. The Zags have seen at least one player selected in each of the past four NBA drafts and currently boast more players in the league than every college basketball program not named Kentucky, Duke, Michigan, UCLA, Arkansas, and Kansas.

However, the program’s all-time leading scorer, Drew Timme, is not among them. Timme had an unbelievably prolific career in Spokane, earning consensus All-American honors three times, twice winning WCC Player of the Year, along with two NCAA All-Region nods, an All-Tournament nod, and WCC Tournament MVP.

Despite the accolades, the 6’10 big man went undrafted in 2023 and landed with the Milwaukee Bucks, spending his first professional season with the Wisconsin Herd in the G-League – where he averaged 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 25 games before suffering a foot injury.

Timme is back healthy and playing in the Summer League with the Sacramento Kings, and he put together a vintage performance on Monday in Las Vegas – dropping 19 points on 8-12 shooting with five rebounds and four assists.

Praise poured in for the big man, including on the broadcast when former NBA coach P.J Carlesimo discussed why he believes Timme fits in the modern NBA.

“Drew Timme’s not a good basketball player, he’s an excellent basketball player,” Carlesimo said. “That’s one of the reasons right there, the way he can pass the ball and it’s become so important for so many teams. You don’t have to be Nikola Jokic, but we showed those guys before, Vlade Divac up on the elbow making the passes. Drew Timme does a lot of things well. It’s hard for me to imagine there’s not a place somewhere among the 30 teams for this young guy.”

Timme’s improved passing gives him more offensive versatility than just being a back-to-the-basket low post scorer – a role that is very out of style in the current NBA. His ability to operate in the high post, set screens, make good reads with the basketball, and hit open cutters will translate at the next level, even if he has yet to prove he can consistently hit shots from the three point line.

Timme’s main issue is on defense, where his lateral mobility and vertical athleticism are subpar – enough so that he is a liability as a switch defender and underwhelming even in drop coverage.

Still, the offensive bag is enough for him to merit serious consideration for any NBA team in need of more frontcourt depth, and if he keeps putting together highly efficient performances in Summer League he should land a two-way contract or at least an invitation to training camp ahead of the upcoming NBA campaign.

Tracking where the top undrafted free agents who did not hear their names called in the 2023 NBA Draft have signed

The names who didn’t get called during the draft are finding their new teams.

The 2023 NBA draft has come and gone, but the draft cycle continues a bit longer as several undrafted free agents find their new homes.

While the following prospects didn’t get to hear their name called by the commissioner or deputy commissioner on Thursday night, they can find solace in the fact that their path to the pros is far from over. It’s not unheard of for an undrafted free agent to carve out a role for themselves in the NBA.

We have seen former undrafted free agent Fred VanVleet make the All-Star name. We also saw several players, such as Lakers rookie Austin Reaves, have valuable roles for their team despite not hearing their names called in the draft.

This season, notable prospects such as Oscar Tshiebwe and Drew Timme will join the fraternity of undrafted basketball players who hope to still make a name for themselves in the NBA.

Several notable international prospects (e.g. Nadir Hifi, Enzo Shahrvin, Tom Digbeu, Nikos Rogkavopoulos, Marek Blazevic, Mario Nakić, Keye Van Der Vuurst and others) were not called and will likely remain overseas.

Meanwhile, some NCAA prospects (Virginia Tech’s Grant Basile, Arizona’s Courtney Ramey, Seton Hall’s KC Ndefo and Purdue NW’s Alou Dillon) will sign deals with teams abroad rather than play in the NBA’s Summer League.

Otherwise, here is where the best remaining prospects have landed so far, according to reports:

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Explaining why Drew Timme isn’t considered a strong prospect in the 2023 NBA Draft

Why isn’t this college star considered a better NBA prospect?

Despite dominating for four seasons in the NCAA, the professional outlook does not look as promising for Gonzaga Bulldogs big man Drew Timme.

The 22-year-old big man is a three-time All-American and two-time West Coast Conference Player of the Year winner. But he did not appear on the latest aggregate mock draft provided by HoopsHype, which surveys several mock drafts from experts around the industry.

One primary reason is that Timme doesn’t offer much athleticism. His standing vertical (26 inches) and max vertical (30.5 inches) both ranked below the 20th percentile among all participants in the NBA Draft Combine since 2000, per Stadium Speak.

His three-quarter sprint (3.34 seconds) also ranked below the 40th percentile.

The biggest concern for Timme is on the defensive end of the floor. His opponents shot 130-for-275 (47.2 percent) when he was credited as the nearest defender, per Stats Perform, worse than any of the prospects included in the HoopsHype aggregate mock draft.

As one NBA scout told Seth Davis (via The Athletic):

“I hope he makes it, but I just don’t think he can. He scores with his back to the basket, and I don’t think that’s gonna translate to the NBA. He won’t be able to defend anyone. Some guys are just really good college basketball players. He’s a below the rim, undersized center. If he makes it, it’s because of his motor, his toughness and his IQ, but there’s more on the side of why he won’t make it.”

His defensive presence had little impact on the other team. His opponents were 43-for-84 (51.2 percent) when Timme contested their jumper, per Stats Perform, which was second-worst among top prospects.

When other teams applied pressure to the rim, it was a problem for Gonzaga. Opponents scored 0.64 points per touch on drives defended by Timme, per Stats Perform, which was also the worst among top prospects.

Gonzaga allowed opponents to shoot a whopping 67.9 percent at the rim during minutes when Timme was on the court, per CBB Analytics. That ranked as one of the worst marks among all heavy rotation Division I men’s college basketball players.

There are some question marks on the other side of the floor as well.

Timme use his size to score while in college, but he won’t have that same physical advantage against NBA defenders. He averaged 0.11 post-ups per offensive touch, per Stats Perform, the third-most among all top prospects.

He never improved his shooting from beyond the arc, either, which was disappointing. Timme made just four 3-pointers during the entirety of his senior campaign at Gonzaga.

Still, there are plenty of reasons to like Timme, who displayed solid leadership and helped establish a winning culture during his time in the NCAA.

He is a fantastic scorer who could provide some helpful depth. But at this point, the big man is likely someone who will receive a two-way deal as a second-round pick than a guaranteed contract earlier in the draft.

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Potential Sixers undrafted player profiles: Drew Timme

Gonzaga big man Drew Timme is another talented player the Philadelphia 76ers could look into after the 2023 NBA draft.

With the 2023 NBA draft right around the corner, it’s time to continue looking at potential undrafted players who the Philadelphia 76ers could look into to add to the roster.

The Sixers do not have a draft pick in the 2023 NBA draft on June 22. They traded their first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in the deal that brought James Harden to the City of Brotherly Love at the 2022 deadline, and they were docked second-round picks in 2023 and 2024 by the NBA for tampering.

However, that doesn’t mean the Sixers will or should be inactive around the draft process. There will be a number of talented players who go undrafted, meaning the Sixers should be able to add a young player who could potentially become a rotation piece.

Next up in this series is Drew Timme from Gonzaga, who had a wildly successful college career.

2023 NBA Mock Draft 5.0: 58 projections after the early entry withdrawal deadline

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands following the early entry withdrawal deadline.

The NBA pre-draft process crossed another important checkpoint on the schedule with the early entry withdrawal deadline coming and going this week.

Prospects had the opportunity to test the waters and meet with teams to gain feedback on their potential draft stock. To maintain their remaining college eligibility, they had to withdraw from consideration by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

The deadline saw several potential second-round picks withdraw from the draft and return to school. With name, image and likeness playing a prevalent role in college basketball, players were likely swayed to stay one more year to work on their games and capitalize financially.

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The 2024 draft is also projected to be weaker than in past years, which also may have played a role in some players opting against turning pro. They likely believe they will have a greater chance of being a first-round pick next year.

With several players off the board, teams can prioritize workouts and interviews with those individuals remaining in the draft. As a result, players’ stock will continue to fluctuate with less than three weeks to go until the draft.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the draft stands following the early entry withdrawal deadline. Team needs were taken into consideration for these picks.

4 potential undrafted forwards Sixers should look into after 2023 NBA draft

Here are four forwards who could potentially go undrafted that the Philadelphia 76ers should look into after the 2023 NBA draft.

The Philadelphia 76ers do not have a draft pick in the 2023 NBA draft. They traded away their first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in the deal that brought James Harden to the City of Brotherly Love at the 2022 deadline, and they were docked second-round picks in 2023 and 2024 by the NBA for tampering.

However, that doesn’t mean the Sixers will or should be inactive around the draft process. There will be a number of talented players who go undrafted, meaning the Sixers should be able to add a young player who could potentially become a rotation player.

One should not brush off undrafted players. The Miami Heat are a prime example of investing in young talent and giving them time to develop. In the Sixers’ case, here are four forwards who could go undrafted but could help in the long run:

Drew Timme likely to meet with the Thunder in pre-draft visit

Should the Thunder add Chet Holmgren’s former college teammate?

The 2023 NBA draft lottery is officially over, as it confirmed the Oklahoma City Thunder will pick No. 12 in the first round of the draft.

It’s also draft combine week, which means all of the top prospects are gathered in Chicago, Ill. This means most players will likely be asked who they’ve worked out and met with.

One of those players will likely be Gonzaga forward Drew Timme, who said he thinks he’ll meet with the Thunder, per BSO’s Daniel Bell. It would be the second consecutive year he met with OKC in a pre-draft visit.

Timme declared for the 2022 NBA draft before eventually deciding to return to Gonzaga for a senior season. In 37 games last season, he averaged 21.2 points on 61.6% shooting, 7.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

The 22-year-old spent four college seasons at Gonzaga from 2019 to 2023, which included being teammates with last year’s No. 2 pick and current Thunder center Chet Holmgren.

If the Thunder are to draft Timme, it’ll likely occur in the second round with either their No. 37 or No. 50 pick.

The 2023 NBA draft is scheduled to happen on Thursday, June 22. A full list of prospects who’ve met with the Thunder can be read here.

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2023 NBA Mock Draft 3.0: Projections for every pick post-March Madness

Rookie Wire took a look at where the next draft class stands following the NCAA Tournament.

The NBA pre-draft process is in full swing as prospects around the world prepare to transition to the next level.

Teams around the league will begin hosting private workouts in the coming weeks as they finalize their draft boards. There will be various pro days on the radar and, of course, the draft combine and G League Elite Camp next month in Chicago, Illinois.

Underclassmen have until April 23 to declare for the draft. Several notable players have already decided to return to school, including Kyle Filipowski, Harrison Ingram, Baylor Scheierman and Kel’el Ware. Others are still mulling over their decisions.

Related: Key dates for NBA draft, combine, lottery and deadlines

With players still in the process of making decisions, some prospects were excluded from this mock draft because they are projected to return to school next season. However, most players projected to be drafted have already announced their decisions.

Rookie Wire took a look at where the draft stands following the NCAA Tournament. It is important to note that team needs were not necessarily taken into account with each pick. The projections are rather a look at where each individual player stands at this point of the process.

Note: The order of the draft was pulled from Tankathon as of April 14. The draft will have only 58 picks this year because the Bulls and 76ers were stripped of their second-round picks by the NBA due to tampering violations.

Drew Timme reveals the NSFW nickname Gonzaga’s Mark Few gave him as a freshman

The First-Team All-American has certainly come a long way.

Drew Timme is one of college basketball’s best characters, and the star Gonzaga big man delivered another gem following the Bulldogs’ win over UCLA in the Sweet 16 of the 2023 men’s NCAA tournament.

While discussing coach Mark Few’s nicknames for players, Timme — a senior and consensus First Team All-American — revealed the not-so-flattering moniker Few picked out for him while he was a freshman in Spokane, Washington.

“My nickname was dumbass for a while my freshman year,” he bluntly said, according to USA TODAY Sports national columnist Dan Wolken. “Pretty fitting.”

Well, at least we may now know the source of Timme’s penchant for foul language.

Few jumped in to clarify that Timme is no longer known as “dumbass,” and has now earned a new (and potentially even funnier) nickname: The Union Rep.

Moving up in the world, indeed.

With the win over the Bruins, Gonzaga will face UConn in the Elite Eight, which Few’s Bulldogs have now reached in five of the last eight NCAA tournaments.

Gonzaga has reached the championship game twice in program history — in 2017 and 2021 — but lost both times. Few will hope things will be different this time in his last run with Timme, who he went on to call “one of the all-time greats of the modern era.”

He sure has come a long way.

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Drew Timme hilariously avoided dropping another F-bomb on live TV after Gonzaga win

This is a fantastic way to avoid dropping an F-bomb on the air.

Drew Timme is a college basketball legend already, and it’s not just because of what he’s done on the court for Gonzaga in his storied career.

It’s also because of his postgame interviews in March Madness , in which he’s stopped himself from cursing (last year) and then dropped an F-bomb on the air (this year).

After the Bulldogs took down UCLA on Thursday night to advance to the Elite Eight, Timme was interviewed again. And this time? He took the 2022 route: “I gotta do whatever I can to fire this team up and fire myself up, and if people have a problem with that, they can go … go somewhere else.”

Oh BRAVO!

That said, there were some other, more NSFW-ish things said on the air (WARNING: As I just said, NSFW-ish stuff ahead!):

At least Timme is listening to his mom!