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The knock on Drew Timme coming out of Gonzaga was that he lacked the athleticism to be an impact player on both ends of the floor at the NBA level. He wasn't known as a rim protector in college despite his 6-foot-10 frame, and he hadn't been a consistent 3-point threat either. But those notions haven't stopped him from finding his role with the Wisconsin Herd in the NBA G League.
In fact, Timme showcased quite the athleticism in a flashy sequence his last outing against the Stockton Kings. After leaping to deny an alley-oop pass to former NBA veteran Skal Labissiere, Timme received the outlet pass near the opposing 3-point line, drove by his defender all the way to the rim and finished with a one-hand dunk over the defense. Falling to the floor in the process, Timme quickly got to his feet and raced down the hardwood while his Herd teammates celebrated the highlight play.
The defense-to-offense sequence was part of a 10-point, 5-rebound performance that also featured two blocks and a steal for Timme. He shot 5-for-11 from the floor in 26 minutes of action, as the Herd dropped their first regular season game to the Kings, 107-81, on Monday.
Prior to the setback, the Herd followed the G League Showcase Cup with four straight wins to start regular season action. Timme played a key role in those victories, as the Texas native averaged 7.2 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 54.5% from the floor. He has come off the bench in four of the last five games and is averaging 20.8 minutes of action.
Timme has seen a slight dip in his minutes in the regular season compared to the Showcase Cup, in which he averaged 10.2 points and 5.7 rebounds in 22.5 minutes over the Herd's 15 games. Timme capped off the Showcase with a 16-point, 15-rebound double-double against the Texas Legends on Dec. 22. So far the best game of his young professional career came Dec. 5 in a loss to the Windy City Bulls. Timme was outstanding on both ends with 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists on an efficient 11-for-12 shooting performance.
When given the opportunity, Timme has proven he belongs on the floor. He has the basketball IQ that his old coach Mark Few has commended in the past, which can help make up for his apparent deficiencies in athleticism and defensive capability. But those smarts should pay off eventually; it's just a matter of time before he earns a call up to the NBA ranks. The Milwaukee Bucks, who have lost four of their last five games and rank in the bottom 10 teams in bench minutes per game, could use a spark like Timme in spurts.
Whether it's the Bucks or another team looking for young talent and depth, Timme will need to hear from a team soon if he wants a shot on a main roster this season. NBA teams can begin signing players to 10-day contracts starting Friday, while the deadline for two-way contracts is Jan. 15.
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