NBA Comparison: Jorge Garbajosa

Strengths: An accomplished 6’10 230 PF/C with plenty of experience heading into the pros … Has consistently been a scoring machine in the low, mid and high post at the college level (21.2 ppg, career 17.2 ppg) … Full of moves; has outstanding footwork, can score with either hand, and makes good use of fakes and up-and-unders … Really good at utilizing the backboard, particularly as a shield from shot-blockers … Efficient and cerebral; knows how to locate soft spots in the defense and gets himself multiple easy shots per game with his awareness and body positioning (61.6 FG%, career 61.8 FG%) … Sets good screens and does a good job deciding when to roll to the rim or spot up based on the defensive coverage … Feathery touch and an effective floater … Consistent mid-range shot; some scouts are still holding out hope he can extend his range … Good hands and a wide catch radius to snag the more difficult passes (measured with a 7’2 wingspan at the 2022 Combine) … Is virtually automatic when he establishes position in the paint; can convert from tricky angles and has enough length to shoot over and around most post players with reasonable success … Is more than just a PF who uses his feel for the game to score; has shown that he can effectively have offense ran through him to get open shots for teammates moving off the ball (3.2 APG as a Sr.) … Moves well without the ball himself, often looking to cut to the rim and seal & score when playing off his teammates dribble penetration … Solid nose for the ball and effort to follow up his own misses (2.6 ORPG) … Gets to the foul line at a solid rate (over 5 FTA per game for his career) … Rises to the occasion when the lights are brightest (10 games of at least 20 points in the NCAA Tournament for his career) … Will likely be a fan favorite on whatever team takes a chance on him … Won a ton of games and is one of the most productive college hoops players in recent memory statistically; pedigree will extend him a long look at the NBA level …

Weaknesses: Lacks athleticism and quickness, especially laterally…Average physical tools outside of above average length; not especially tall or stout for either the PF or C spot … Would be at a disadvantage essentially every time he’s asked to defend NBA players in space, and isn’t a particularly devoted player on that end of the court … Rarely forces turnovers (career 0.5 SPG)…Nothing special as a ball-handler when facing up … Not going to beat defenders at the next level to his spots as often as he did in the WCC offensively … Doesn’t show much as an above the rim finisher; lacks explosive leaping ability & relies heavily on the backboard to convert contested plays near the basket … Had career high block numbers this year (1 BPG) but doesn’t project to be any type of worthwhile rim protector at the next level … Never developed into a 3-point shooter despite soft touch (career 25 3FG% on 0.6 3FGA); his lack of range makes his projections to the league murkier … Knew he needed to prove he could make 3-pointers going into this season for his draft stock to improve and responded by shooting a career-low 16% from distance … Mediocre FT shooter as well (career 65 FT%) … Not great on the defensive glass; doesn’t show the same instincts as he does on the offensive boards and more athletic players can be seen often grabbing rebounds over and around him (5 DRPG) … Older prospect who would be a 23 year old rookie at training camp …

Overall: Drew Timme was a top 50 recruit in the 2019 class and made an instant impact at Gonzaga as mostly a top reserve as a Fr. putting up around 10 ppg & 5 rpg … He emerged as an impact player in college hoops as a Soph when he was an All-American and the leading scorer on a Gonzaga team that was the national runner-up led by Timme and 1st round picks Corey Kispert & Jalen Suggs among others … Since he has continued to an accomplished career that includes 2 more consensus All-American seasons, 2 CPOY awards and the 5th most points in WCC history with over 2,300 … He is as skilled a post player as they come with some of the best moves and footwork in recent memory in college hoops, and even got buckets against top teams who made it a point to key in on him…Still, there are concerns about his lack of athleticism and defensive ability at the pro level, as he will likely struggle to defend his position in the pros … He also was disappointing in proving his jump shot has extended range after shooting the ball well in pre-draft workouts last year from long distance; him not shooting many 3s may have been a function of his role at Gonzaga, but it was disappointing that his efficiency was even worse than before and that he struggled to hit his FTs consistently … He will have to go to a perfect situation to have a real impact and he has some limitations but he has the production and experience/pedigree to garner interest in the later parts of the 2023 Draft, as well as the skill and basketball acumen to maximize himself and have a career potentially …

Notes: Measured 6′ 8.75” barefoot, 9′ 0.50” standing reach, 243.2 lbs and a 7′ 1.75” wingspan and a 26 inch standing vertical and a 30.5′ inch max vertical at the 2023 NBA Draft Combine …

Jorrye Nixon 3/30/23

Strengths: A patient and talented low post scorer with one of the deepest bags in the sport … Uses his footwork and special understanding to get open looks and convert around the rim … Possesses the best low post footwork we’ve seen from a prospect in many years and makes up for average athleticism and size with these crafty moves … Plays and reads the game at a fast pace … has proven it on the big stage as an impact player … Proved to be one of the standout players at the college level for multiple seasons playing for Gonzaga and performing at a high level in big games … Decent ball-handling skills and vision allow him to set up in the high post and create for others moving around him … Scores most of his points in the post, but he is able to knock down mid-range jumpers off the dribble … Averaged 19 and 18 points per game in his final two seasons with the Zags … High motor and high energy player who can provide offensive spark off the bench … Sets good screens to create room for ball-handlers … High IQ cutter with great body control and finishing instincts around the rim … Excellent touch on post hooks and layups … His touch around the rim gives some promise that over time he could develop into a more consistent mid-range and outside shooter … Plays with a lot of intangibles, competitiveness and toughness …

Weaknesses: His game appears to be more of a fit for the college game, but his efficiency and production are too impressive to ignore, which will give him a shot at the next level … Doesn’t have the quickness or athleticism to stick with players on the perimeter and doesn’t have the size to defend most centers in the post … It’s easy to project Timme as a defensive liability who gets attacked relentlessly if he receives extended minutes … Has yet to develop any sort of perimeter jumper, which limits his offensive potential and outlook … Hardly improved as a free-throw shooter in his career, going from 61% to 70% and back down to 68% in his three seasons … Shooting motion and mechanics don’t suggest that a perimeter development is in the cards in the near future … Will already turn 22 by the start of his rookie season without a ton of potential to improve. His ceiling is an offensive spark plug with costly defending and no real threat from the outside … Rebounding while decent in technique is compromised by a lack of explosiveness and physicality …

Notes: Preseason First-Team All American, CBS Preseason National Player of the Year and WCC Player of the Year as a junior at Gonzaga … Two-time Second-Team All American …

Derek Bast 5/9/22

Notes: Measured: 6’8.25” barefoot, 6’9.25” in shoes, 8’11.5” standing reach, 231.6 lbs, 7’2.0” wingspan at the 2022 NBA Draft Combine …