Gonzaga Bulldogs: 2023 Mock Draft Consensus on Julian Strawther and Drew Timme
Ed Stein
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This is our first 2023 Mock Draft Consensus. PNWS lets you know where former Gonzaga Bulldogs Julian Strawther and Drew Timme will go in the NBA Draft.
Pacific Northwest Sports audited 27 different mock drafts to see where Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Julian Strawther and center Drew Timme wind up.
The NBA Draft is very important for the Zags basketball program. Fans don’t like seeing their favorites leave, but they can celebrate those players moving on to the highest levels.
Putting players in the National Basketball Association is some of the best advertising Gonzaga Bulldogs Head Coach Mark Few can get when recruiting prospects. Every recruit that visits The Kennel has a dream to play in the NBA. Showing them a clear path to their dream brings those young men to Spokane.
Last year the Gonzaga Bulldogs had another player taken in the lottery. Oklahoma City selected center Chet Holmgren second overall. The year before, Gonzaga had two players drafted in the lottery, Jalen Suggs (Orlando, 5th overall) and Corey Kispert (Washington, 11th).
Spanning the internet
The sources we use for the mock drafts may vary from edition to edition, but they are credible. This time we included ESPN, USA Today, CBS Sports, The Ringer, The Athletic, Sports Illustrated. and more.
Julian Strawther – Wing
At the Combine
Height: 6-7
Weight: 210 pounds
Wingspan: 6-9.5
Strawther didn’t participate in 5-on-5 scrimmages at the combine. That’s a tipoff a team has guaranteed they will take him (likely in the second round).
Draft Projections
Highest Draft Spot – Round 2, San Antonio Spurs, 33rd overall.
Lowest Draft Spot – Round 2, Memphis Grizzlies, 56th overall.
Most Common Draft Spot – Round 2, Los Angeles Lakers, 47th overall.
Scouting Report
An outstanding athlete, Julian Strawther has continued to develop during his two seasons with the Gonzaga Bulldogs. His size makes him a matchup problem on the wing for opposing defenders.
A well built small forward who has natural strength, broad shoulders, and solid athletic ability. Born to score the rock, Strawther can light it up from downtown and make plays off the bounce. He’s got a frame that projects well to the NBA level and has all the makings of a big-time small forward prospect.
NBA Draft Room
Draft Prospectus
As indicated above, Strawther looks to be a second round pick. The mock drafts back that up.
Of the 27 mock drafts we audited, 12 covered both rounds, and the former Gonzaga Bulldogs star was on all 12.
Drew Timme – Center/Forward
At the Combine
Height: 6-10
Weight: 230 pounds
Wingspan: 7-1.5
Timme played in two scrimmages at the combine. Game 1 was disappointing, with 6 points and 3 rebounds. He picked it up significantly in the second scrimmage, scoring an impressive 17 points with 7 boards.
Draft Projections
Highest Draft Spot – Round 2, Los Angeles Lakers, 47th overall.
Lowest Draft Spot – Round 2, Washington Wizards, 57th overall.
Most Common Draft Spot – Round 2, Washington Wizards, 57th overall.
Scouting Report
Almost everyone that’s watched college basketball over the last three years has seen what the Gonzaga Bulldogs all-time leading scorer can do with the ball in his hands. One of the most skilled big men in recent memory, Drew Timme is a monster to defend near the basket.
“Timme does his damage on the offensive end, where his footwork and touch are immaculate out of the post. Old-school post players like Kevin McHale and Bill Walton would be proud of how the Gonzaga senior handles himself on the block.
(He) is your typical old-school college big, sporting a traditional old-man post-up game that feels like a relic of the 1980s and 1990s. He’s dominant in a way that doesn’t scream “future NBA All-Star.””
Kyle Irving, Sporting News.
Draft Prospectus
For all that Timme can do, his game doesn’t fit modern offenses. That’s a big reason why he was only selected on four mocks.
Where do you think Julian Strawther and Drew Timme will go in the upcoming NBA Draft?