Despite being a three-time All-American and two-time WCC Player of the Year at Gonzaga, many people didn’t see Drew Timme as a legit NBA prospect. But after going undrafted in 2023, Timme shined in the G League and with the Brooklyn Nets in limited appearances last season. This season, it was more of the same with dominating the G League before the Los Angeles Lakers ultimately signed him to a two-way contract.
With injuries hampering the roster, Timme has been given an opportunity to play real minutes for the Lakers and he has taken advantage of it. The big man scored a career-high 21 points in 29 minutes against the Portland Trail Blazers, and in the Lakers’ victory over the Denver Nuggets, Timme gave the team a spark off the bench with nine points and three rebounds.
His play has caught the eyes of many, including his Lakers teammate LeBron James, who praised Timme for his high IQ and is glad to see him showing the world that he is an NBA players, via ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:
“He’s a smart basketball player. If you watched him anytime through college, if you watched him in any of the moments that he’s gotten in the NBA in Brooklyn or if you watched him, obviously my son plays a lot in the G League bouncing back and forth, he’s a smart basketball player. He knows how to play the game. And his IQ correlates to this level. So it’s great to see that the coaches have believed in him over the last three games and he’s shown what he’s capable of doing. So he’s an NBA player, here first. That’s a lot of time half the battle and the game will speak for itself.”
It was easy to question Timme’s ceiling as an NBA player because of his physical limitations. Listed at 6’9″ and 235 pounds, he is undersized for the center position and doesn’t have the athletic ability to make up for that either. But when you are skilled and know how to play the game, it can make up for that.
This was the case for Timme in college and it is the same at the NBA level as he simply knows where to be and how to be effective on the court. While he won’t be a star player, he is proving that he can contribute to a team and he is doing just that for the Lakers so far when given that opportunity.
Austin Reaves expected to return during Lakers’ eight-game road trip
Another player who fits the mold of a talented player whose skill level and high IQ makes up for limited athletic ability is Austin Reaves, who has taken things to a whole other level this season. Unfortunately, he has been out due to injury, but thankfully for the Lakers he is expected to return during the team’s current road trip.
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