Former Gonzaga star Drew Timme is absolutely cooking the G-League right now

It’s so hard for me not to curse when I write about Drew Timme. I freaking love him. I’ve always freaking loved him. And it is freaking absurd that he still hasn’t been given a real shot at the NBA level. Every time I check G League box scores and see his stat line — 29, 10, 60% from the field — I want to throw my laptop across the room and then calmly pick it up to write this article again from scratch, louder.

I’m wearing his jersey as I type this, actually — the one I bought during his final game at the Kennel, full price, no hesitation. More recently, I wore this same jersey when I proposed to my fiancée (I will not explain further). I flat out love Drew Timme, and no one is pulling harder for him to make a career in the NBA than me. I’m taking this personal.

For four years, the jokes about his mustache (magnificent), his post-bucket celebrations (hilarious), his age (inaccurate), his physique (fair…) — all of it — came and went. But my love for the guy never dipped below maximum.

Everyone in Spokane seems to have a Drew Timme story, as well, and if you’ve got one of your own, please put it in the comments. A few years ago, I spotted him in downtown before a game — sweatpants, gold chain, size 17 fleece-lined UGGs. He was on the phone, laughing loud enough for the entire block to hear, completely relaxed and unmistakably himself. Tipoff was literally in like 90 minutes, but you wouldn’t have known it. That’s the thing about Drew — he’s always been entirely, unapologetically himself, impervious to expectations. What’s not to love?

And now here we are: Drew Timme, fully healthy, is absolutely torching the G League. The concerns that kept his name from being called on draft night are quickly being drowned out by his sheer offensive production. The footwork, the scoring touch, the decision-making, the spacing — it’s all there. The dude deserves a shot.

One of the Best to Ever Do It

Zag fans need no reminding just how good Drew Timme was, but just in case, here are some highlights from his absolutely unhinged résumé:

Three-time All-American. Two-time WCC Player of the Year. First in school history in points (2,307). First in field goals made (910). First in NCAA Tournament scoring — not just for the Zags, but nationally, still. First in the hearts of everyone who appreciates elite footwork in the low post and loves seeing dudes play with a little joy.

He dropped 36 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in a Sweet Sixteen win over UCLA. He led the WCC in field goal percentage (61.6%), field goals made, and total points during his senior season.

The G League Can’t Guard Him Either

Timme’s bounced around a bit post-college — a Summer League stint with the Bucks, a brief contract with the Kings, a fractured foot that sidelined him in Wisconsin — but now he’s healthy, settled in, and absolutely chewing up all comers. He’s dismantling defenders with footwork, feel, and timing, and showing the kind of touch that is somehow just impervious to whoever has the unfortunate assignment of slowing him down. Most importantly, probably, he can shoot the deep ball now. Timme is more than delivering on the offensive promise he showed in college, he’s exceeding all best-case-scenario prognostications— now all he needs is a team brave enough to roll the dice and give him a chance. Because Drew Timme simply does not underperform.

Through 29 games with Long Island, Drew is averaging 24 points and 10.2 rebounds per game on 57.4% shooting, including 38.5% from three. He’s logging nearly 36 minutes a night and operating as a primary scoring option. He recently averaged 35.7 points and 12.7 boards over a single week, shooting 64% from deep and dropping 50 in one game. 50. Half a hundred. Drew Timme. It earned him G League Player of the Week. It should’ve earned him an NBA contract.

He’s also been pulling defenders out of the paint with his much-improved perimeter shooting. He’s showing increased physicality in his rebounding, holding his own against bigger bodies, crashing the glass with purpose, and consistently winning second-chance opportunities (he’s averaging over 3 offensive rebounds per game this season). He’s also facilitating from the post with a clean 1.84 assist-to-turnover ratio. This isn’t a flash-in-the-pan stretch of good games. It’s sustained, efficient, high-level production in a professional system. The dude just finds a way to win.

The (weak) Case Against Drew Timme

We’ve heard it all before. He’s not a vertical athlete. He doesn’t protect the rim or defend well in space. He can’t switch onto quicker players on the perimeter, and he rarely forces turnovers. For years, his jumper didn’t fall and his free throw shooting hovered somewhere between “okay” and “let’s just not talk about it.” And yes, he’s now 24 — in a league built on upside and potential, a fully bearded college graduate who looks like he’d be more at home in a rec-league than the NBA is definitely a gamble. I’m not saying I don’t see where the GMs are coming from.

But the fact of the matter is that Drew Timme has made a career out of being way better at basketball than anyone expects him to be, night after night, opponent after opponent, despite all of the above. Drew Timme is Drew Timme because he exceeds expectations.

Why Those Critiques Fall Short Now

True, he hasn’t improved his vertical leap or grown 3 inches or increased his wingspan since college, but he is hitting threes now. He’s rebounding. He’s facilitating. And most importantly, he’s still finding ways to score — with the same touch, precision, and relentlessness that made him a star in college. The same footwork that spun WCC defenders into the floorboards is now working against pros. Because it’s not about conference strength or athletic ceilings. It’s about skill, timing, and decision-making — and Timme has all of it.

Despite injury and a higher caliber of competition, Timme’s production hasn’t dipped. It’s leveled up.

Sure, there’s room for the possibility that he could step on the floor and get absolutely bodied by Joel Embiid or end up in the wrong kind of highlight reel against Giannis. Absolutely. So could half the league. The point is that, despite his so-called physical limitations, Timme is outplaying his label, as he has done his entire career. His G League numbers justify more than just admiration, they justify opportunity. He might flame out — or he might do exactly what he’s always done and carve out a role for himself by getting buckets against dudes who incorrectly assume he’s not as skilled, smart, or talented as he is.

There’s literally only one way to find out.

Give Him the Shot. He’s Earned It.

NBA GMs should be on notice: pick up Drew Timme. You don’t have to build a franchise around him or promise him millions of dollars (though, you should, because I’m fascinated as to what a guy like Drew would elect to spend that money on). Just give him a real shot. Because here’s what you’ll get: a player who’s shown, year after year, that he can adjust, compete, and produce at a level way higher than anyone expects. There are plenty of NBA teams who could do a lot worse than having one of the greatest college basketball players of the modern era coming off the bench.

All it takes is one team willing to stop overthinking it.

So don’t be a “soft guy.” Sign Drew Timme and let him cook. It’s the right thing to do.