Gonzaga Bulldogs say goodbye to Drew Timme

Teresa Powe   |  

Apr 15, 2022

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The Gonzaga Bulldogs have to say goodbye to their star forward. Although Zags fans knew this day would come, it’s still hard to see the “Stache,” Drew Timme moving on.

If you’re like me, you can’t imagine the Gonzaga Bulldogs without Drew Timme. But the time has come to say goodbye as Drew Timme makes his way to the 2022 NBA Draft.

Gonzaga years

In his three seasons as a Gonzaga Bulldog, Timme was their driving force. He averaged 9.8 points and 5.4 rebounds with a .618 field goal percentage as a freshman.

But it wasn’t until his sophomore year that Timme became a breakout Gonzaga star. Along with Corey Kispert and Jalen Suggs, they formed what I so lovingly called the Terrifying Trio. These three players led Gonzaga all the way to the NCAA Championship Game before losing to Baylor. For his efforts, Timme won the NCAA Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award, averaging 19 points and 7.0 rebounds with a .655 field goal percentage.

And in 2021-22, what we now know was his final season at Gonzaga, Drew Timme was a bona fide leader. He was also the West Coast Conference Player of the Year, Second Team AP All-American, and a Finalist for the Kareem Abdul Jabbar Center of the Year Award. Timme averaged 18.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and shot .586 from the field.

Now he’s leaving, although Timme can still come back to school because NCAA agents are representing him. The latest mock drafts have him going in the mid-second round. Before the draft, Timme can also participate in the NBA Combine, workouts with individual teams, and the NBA G League camp. If he doesn’t like where he might wind up, he has until June 13 to decide on coming back.

Just one more year

Like many Gonzaga Bulldogs fans, I wish Timme would come back to Spokane for one more year, his last year of eligibility. He could work on his outside shot, his three-pointers, and brush up on his defense.

That accomplishes two things. First, if he improves the weaknesses in his game, Timme moves to a first round pick in the 2023 Draft. Additionally, the Stache could finally get that elusive National Championship. Why should Timme go to the G-League when he should be the leading the Zags?

If you think Drew Timme should move on to the NBA or give Gonzaga one more year, please leave your comments below or on social media. Until later, please stay safe out there.