The NBA glamor was what Drew Timme dreamed of.
After a rough year that saw him go undrafted following a strong college career at Gonzaga and then suffering a season-ending foot fracture in the G-League, he finally got his NBA shot on a two-year, $2 million deal with the Nets.
However, since signing the contract just over a week ago, that glow has blown over and the 24-year-old is starting to feel more like a regular as the Nets put out players to help them tank for a chance at a top lottery pick.
Sunday marked Timme’s first NBA start.
He recorded 13 points and seven rebounds in the 120-109 loss to the Raptors.
“I mean, the first game I was definitely really amped up,” Timme said after the Nets’ second straight loss. “But now, it’s just a game. I mean, obviously, tonight getting my first start, that was pretty cool. But once that ball gets thrown up, you kinda forget where you are. You’re just in a rectangle, whatever the court shape is, just playing.”
In the five games Timme has played in Brooklyn, he has averaged 11.6 points on 51 percent shooting across 25 minutes per contest.
He had a double-double (11 points and 10 rebounds) in his debut and put up a career-high 19 points against the Wizards in his second game.
Timme is the first Net to score 50-plus points and grab 25-plus rebounds in his first five career games since Terrance Williams (2009).
“Yeah he’s been very good. Like again he connected with his teammates right away,” head coach Jordi Fernández said on Sunday. “He fits in, his personality and his game. I want him to keep shooting the 3. He ran to the corner and made an amazing 3 in transition. Didn’t count as he stepped out of bounds. But I want him to stay aggressive. Keep shooting the ball. He had seven rebounds, 13 points. So very happy with him. But not just the production. Sometimes the ball’s going to go in, sometimes it’s not going to go in. But his intentions, how good of a teammate he is. He comes in and works every day. So I’m very happy with Drew.”
Still, the decreased nerves that have settled over the past week did not have any effect on the growing intensity of the NBA learning curve.
Timme described himself as “the annoying kid in class who asks a million questions.”
“I say, ‘Look y’all I’m gonna need it one more time. Dumb it down a little bit,’ ” he said. “But, you know, if you don’t ask, then you mess it up and it’s on you. So, I’m not afraid to ask the questions or ask for a repeat. Just do whatever I can to help the team however I can, even if I ask a million questions.”
The Richardson, Texas native has found Nic Claxton to be his main guy during the transition, coming up to him during timeouts and practice to give pointers.
The Nets have been using Timme at center, and he was the clear pick on Sunday when Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe were on the bench.
Timme hasn’t taken the opportunity for granted as the Nets lean into their youth for the final four games of the regular season against the Pelicans, Hawks, Timberwolves and Knicks.
It boils down to more minutes, reps, and experience for the rookie.
“I thought [playing center] was a lot of fun,” he said. “I enjoyed it … showing that I can handle different looks, different reads and stuff is big. I’ve just got to continue to keep doing that so I can keep getting minutes, because that’s the goal to stick around and to play.”
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