SPOKANE, Wash. — Less than 48 hours before Gonzaga's final home game of the 2022-23 season, senior forward Drew Timme told Seth Davis of The Athletic he will not use his extra year of eligibility and will graduate and move on at the conclusion of the year.
Timme's announcement isn't surprising, as the superstar big man has accomplished nearly everything he can as an individual player for the Bulldogs - especially if he is able to pass Frank Burgess to become the school's all-time leader in points scored over his final few games.
Timme is a near perfect example of what it means to be a Zag, going from a backup center to a college basketball superstar, a team leader, and to many others in the sport: a villain.
Timme's departure after four years is poetic for another reason as well, with Locked on Zags host Andy Patton describing Timme as not only an iconic Zag, but a perfect encapsulation of college life in general.
"Drew Timme has this swagger around him, this arrogance, this confidence, this brashness," Patton said. "That's who Drew Timme is. And that's so college."
Timme's bravado, friendliness to everyone around him (including opposing players), and willingness to be college basketball's villain the past few years established him as one of the most memorable and recognizable college stars of the modern era - and one of the pioneers of NIL.
Timme's decision to stay in college for his senior season - and to take full advantage of the opportunity to make money while at Gonzaga - helped usher in this new era for student-athletes, while allowing Timme to continue to be who he is at heart - a college kid.
His generosity, which included recently purchasing headphones for each of his teammates, is an inspiration to future college stars as well.
Timme also started a podcast, Gimme Timme, another revolutionary step in allowing fans more access to players behind the scenes, which included interviewing reporters, teammates, NBA players, and even coach Mark Few.
It's another big move in the still developing NIL landscape, and it once again exposes Timme for who he truly is: a goofy, lovable college kid.
"Drew Timme podcasts from his apartment, and gets made fun of by his mom on his podcast," Patton continued. "That is distinctly college."
Whether Timme can lead Gonzaga to another Final 4 appearance, or the elusive national championship, remains to be seen. But one thing we know for sure - Gonzaga won't be the same without him next year.