DENVER — The NBA championship trophy runs through the city of Denver for the first time in franchise history thanks to a historically dominant run from MVP center Nikola Jokic, whose well-rounded offensive game proved too difficult for anyone to stop during the playoffs.
Jokic was an unheralded second round pick who many felt wasn't athletic enough to make an impact at the NBA level, and his career trajectory is a great sign for Gonzaga big man Drew Timme, who possesses many of the same skills that make Jokic such a dominant NBA force.
While Locked on Zags host Andy Patton isn't ready to crown Timme the next Jokic (if there can even be such a player) he does believe the kind of player Jokic is could lead to similar players getting more attention at the next level.
"Most of the [draft conversation] on Drew Timme has focused on how he is not a modern day NBA big," Patton said. "That he is a more traditional back to the basket type of big...but there's a path here. Because some of the things Nikola Jokic does really well, Drew Timme also does really well. You can get Drew Timme the basketball in a lot of different places and let him go to work."
Timme excelled in more of a facilitator role for Mark Few's team last year, often getting the ball at the top of the key while Gonzaga's guards ran side-to-side ball screen actions, putting Timme in a spot to make decisions whether to find cutters, attack the basket, or even shoot over the defender.
The shooting part is the big hinge for Timme. In order to be as well rounded as Jokic on offense, Timme will have to show a consistent three point shot - something we have not see him prove he can do in game situations. Jokic shot 38.3% from three last year, while Timme shot 16.7%.
Additionally, Timme will need to make improvements on the defensive end of the floor, particularly in space, or else he'll be hard for teams to play more than a few minutes per game.
Timme probably won't become the next Jokic, because there may not ever be a player quite like the two-time MVP, but his skills as a big who can facilitate an offense and score off the dribble are more appealing now thanks to the play of someone like Jokic - and fellow Zag alumni Domantas Sabonis - at the NBA level.
Timme's next steps will likely be determined on June 22 when the NBA draft takes place, starting at 5:00 PM PT.