Drew Timme declares for the NBA Draft

Gonzaga Bulldogs junior forward Drew Timme has declared his intentions to enter the 2022 NBA Draft.

Although Timme did not specify whether or not he is signing an agent, reading between the lines it sounds like the statement of someone who is committed to moving to the next level in their career.

Update: Jim Meehan clarified that there is the path to return back to Gonzaga.

Timme’s three seasons at Gonzaga have been filled with promise and hilarity. The brash forward established himself as a character early on, with his mustached persona sometimes appearing as a caricature of himself. However, like all good basketball players, Timme backed up his talk on the court.

Over the past two seasons, Timme was one of the best fundamental big men in college basketball. He averaged 18.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season, and he owns a career field goal percentage of 61.9 percent.

He was a two time consensus second-team All-American (2021, 2022), Karl Malone Award winner (2021), WCC Player of the Year (2022), first-team All-WCC (2021, 2022), and named to the All-WCC Freshmen Team (2020).

Although the season this year ended in disappointment, Timme put together a large portfolio of big games against big name opponents. He almost single-handedly pushed Gonzaga past Memphis in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. Last season, in the grind against UCLA in the Final Four, Timme scored the first six points in overtime to help give the Zags what seemed like a slight cushion.

Where Timme will land remains to be seen. His offensive awareness and skill around the hoop is borderline unmatched in college. He has stellar vision and passing abilities. However, his lateral movement leaves a bit to be desired, nor does he have a massive wingspan. For Timme to succeed at the NBA, he will need to rely more on his wits than natural athleticism.

However it shakes out, it has been a blast with watching the antics of Timme in a Gonzaga uniform.