Former Gonzaga players in NBA Summer League: Drew Timme headlines list

Drew Timme, Anton Watson, Julian Strawther and Killian Tillie represent Gonzaga at the Las Vegas Summer League

Dec 2, 2022; Sioux Falls, South Dakota, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Julian Strawther (0) reacts with forward Drew Timme (2) and forward Anton Watson (22) after a basket against the Baylor Bears in the second half at Sanford Pentagon. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports / Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

While a group of Zags prepare for the world’s biggest basketball stage at the Olympic Games in Paris later this month, another looks to jumpstart their respective pro careers at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

As Kelly Olynyk and Andrew Nembhard embark on their Olympic exhibition tour with Team Canada, as does Gonzaga men’s basketball coach Mark Few with Team USA, Filip Petrusev on Team Serbia and Rui Hachimura representing Team Japan, four other Bulldogs lace up for 10 days in the desert at the Thomas & Mack Center and Cox Pavilion on UNLV’s campus. A pair of recent draftees look to solidify their spot on their respective team’s roster while the other two are out to prove they belong in the association.

Here’s a look at the Gonzaga alumni set to showcase their respective skill sets in the 2024 NBA Summer League.

DREW TIMME, SACRAMENTO KINGS

Timme made his return to competitive basketball with the Kings during the California Classic this past week. The three-time All-American had his rookie campaign cut short after he suffered a broken leg midway through the Wisconsin Herd’s G League season. After undergoing surgery and rehab, Timme’s next shot at carving out an NBA career comes with Sacramento, which opted to keep the 6-foot-10 post on its roster for the Las Vegas Summer League.

Timme’s first game back from injury ended in a 10-point, 10-rebound night against a team from China in the California Classic opener, followed by six points and seven rebounds in a win over the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. On Wednesday, he put up 13 points and snatched four boards in a narrow loss to the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center.

Depending on his performance over the next two weeks, Timme could find himself on a training camp roster heading into the 2024-25 NBA season. Sacramento’s current roster is already maxed out with three players on two-way contracts, but that won’t stop other teams from potentially showing interest in Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer.

“He's more than good enough to play in that league,” Gonzaga head coach Mark Few said of Timme. “I think he was going to get called up this year, and then he broke his foot, so that was just a tough, tough deal and tough timing. So he's just in that situation where he's just gonna have to keep fighting and scratching and doing what he can.”

Timme’s first Las Vegas Summer League game is Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies at 3:00 p.m. PST on NBA TV. The Kings then take on the Utah Jazz (July 15, ESPNU), New York Knicks (July 17, NBA TV) and Washington Wizards (July 18, ESPN). 

ANTON WATSON, BOSTON CELTICS

The 54th overall pick in the recent NBA Draft will lay the foundation for his rookie season as likely a key contributor on the defending champion’s summer league team. 

Watson could potentially start for the Celtics and play big minutes alongside some of the team’s recent draft picks like Creighton’s Baylor Scheierman and 2022 second-round pick JD Davidson from Alabama. If so, the 6-foot-8 Spokane native will have ample opportunity to showcase his improvements as an outside shooter that would complement his defensive versatility and high basketball IQ, two qualities that stood out to Celtics president of operations Brad Stevens during the pre-draft process.

“He had his eye on me and he kind of told me, he likes me a lot, likes GU and knows what I bring to the team,” Watson said of Stevens on draft night. “He has confidence in my shot. That was huge, hearing it from him … he wants me to let it fly. Once it comes to the game, I think he wants to see me do that and build that confidence.”

The Celtics tip off the Las Vegas Summer League on July 13 when they take on the Miami Heat. Then it’s a matchup against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers on July 15, followed by games against the Charlotte Hornets (July 17) and Dallas Mavericks (July 19). All games will be televised on NBA TV. 

KILLIAN TILLIE, BOSTON CELTICS

Joining Watson on Boston’s summer league roster is his old Gonzaga teammate Tillie, as the 6-foot-9 Frenchman is getting his first NBA opportunity in nearly two years since he was waived by the Memphis Grizzlies.

After going undrafted in 2020, Tillie signed with the Grizzlies and played in 54 games across two seasons until a back injury limited his availability for the 2021-22 campaign. Following surgery, Memphis waived Tillie in October 2022.

"I haven't played in two years. Just excited to get back to it. I'm feeling healthy now," Tillie said on an episode of Gonzaga Nation in May. 

Tillie’s return to the NBA reunites him with Watson, who was a freshman out of Gonzaga Prep when Tillie was a seasoned senior in the 2019-20 season. Injuries to both forwards limited their time on the court together, as they played 11 games side-by-side due to a shoulder injury and Tillie a knee injury sustained in the preseason.

JULIAN STRAWTHER, DENVER NUGGETS

Stats and final scores from summer league don’t always indicate what they should about a player, but the next 10 days in Las Vegas could be huge for Strawther solidifying his role with the Nuggets for the 2024-25 season. Especially after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left in free agency, there’s an open spot in Michael Malone’s rotation up for the taking.

Strawther had his moments in a sporadic role as a rookie, including a pair of 20-point games early in the season. He shot just 29.7% from 3-point range on 2.8 attempts per game. In an expanded role with the summer league group, the 6-foot-7 Las Vegas native has an opportunity to work on his in-between game and show he can handle a heavier workload offensively.