Gonzaga’s Drew Timme outplays No. 2 pick Alex Sarr in NBA Summer League finale

Timme concluded his Las Vegas Summer League run with 11 points and four rebounds against the Washington Wizards

Mar 19, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Drew Timme (2) celebrates in the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports / Michael Ciaglo-USA TODAY Sports

As Drew Timme trotted out to center circle for the opening tip against No. 2 pick Alex Sarr, ESPN color commentator and former college basketball coach Seth Greenberg shared some high praise for the Gonzaga men’s basketball star ahead of his final Las Vegas Summer League game with the Sacramento Kings.

“Really good feel for the game. Terrific passer, creates angles to get to the basket,” Greenberg said. “He’s not the best athlete on the floor but he’s a guy who understands how to use his body and understands how to play the game. It’s more than just running and jumping … it’s about making winning plays.”

Timme actually bested Sarr to the jump ball right after Greenberg’s comments, but his assessment of the former All-American rang true otherwise. Sarr, the 7-foot, 205-pound forward from France, was the second overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft due in part to his athleticism and versatility. Timme, on the other hand, went undrafted last summer because of concerns over his ability to move laterally and keep up with smaller guards on the perimeter.

If the last week at UNLV’s campus has proven anything, it’s that draft position and scouting reports don’t always tell the full story.

Despite some beliefs that Timme’s game wouldn’t translate to the pro-level, the 6-foot-10 Texan disproved those theories in a Domantas Sabonis-esque role that allowed him to play freely from the elbow and create opportunities for his teammates with drive-and-kicks, dribble-handoffs and pick-and-rolls. He was arguably even more effective in transition with long outlet passes off rebounds.

Timme’s best summer league performance showcased a little bit of everything, as he dropped 19 points, grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists in a win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday. 

Sarr, meanwhile, struggled in his first taste of NBA basketball. A horrific 0-for-15 night shooting from the field against the Portland Trail Blazers overshadowed any sort of bright spots from the No. 2 pick, as he shot less than 20% from the field in his first three summer league games heading into Thursday’s contest.

Timme continued to prove he’s deserving of another shot at the NBA in his summer league finale with a handful of clutch plays down the stretch to keep the Kings within striking distance. Down nine points with six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Timme helped push an 11-0 scoring run with a putback layup off a missed 3-pointer from Mason Jones, followed by a heads-up steal on the ensuing inbounds play.

The steal set up an isolation play against Sarr in the post. Timme, after a series of pump fakes, caught Sarr in the air, drew the foul and made the basket through contact. Zags fans had seen that plenty during Timme’s four years in Spokane, as he celebrated the play with a little shimmy directed toward the Kings bench.

THE TIMME SHIMME 🕺💪 pic.twitter.com/7GtmZQMjEk

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) July 19, 2024

Despite Timme’s efforts, Sacramento didn’t make a field goal for the next two-plus minutes just as Washington finally knocked the lid off its own basket following a 3-pointer from Patrick Baldwin Jr. with 17 seconds left. Down 71-69, the Kings handed the rock to Jones to make a play late, though he never got a shot attempt off after he slipped and lost control of his handle.

The defeat was the Kings’ third in four games at the Las Vegas Summer League, though Timme was a major bright spot as someone whose skill set and basketball IQ made him a nice fit in Sacramento’s offense. Whether his performances over the past week earn him another NBA contract remain to be seen. 

In four games in Vegas, Timme averaged 10.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He shot 58.1% from the field on 7.8 field goal attempts per game.