Five-star big man Drew Timme goes for Gonzaga

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Gonzaga made a major move with its 2019 class on Wednesday, thanks to the commitment of five-star forward Drew Timme. The top 30 senior selected the Bulldogs over Alabama, Illinois and Texas A&M, kicking off the Early Signing Period on a high note for Mark Few’s program.

“I’m going to be a Gonzaga Bulldog,” Timme told Rivals.com. “The fit and the coaching staff, it is just perfect. They need me, too, so it is not just that they want me but rather they need me. With Killian (Tillie) and Rui (Hachimura) probably going to the league, it is just the perfect fit.”

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The idea of doing something different also appealed to Timme.

“I think it is different and with the history and success that they have had, once I went up there, I kind of just knew that, damn, it is a really perfect fit for me. After talking with my family, it just made the most sense with me,” he said. “They have compared me to guys like (Kelly) Olynyk, (Zach) Collins and (Domantas) Sabonis, just kind of a mix of those guys, and even (Kyle) Wiltjer a little bit.”

One of the more recruited and coveted prospects in recent months, Timme is one of Few’s greatest wins on American soil on the recruiting trail. A 6-foot-10 power forward who can play a variety of positions in the frontcourt, Timme should fit in seamlessly in Few’s big-man reliant offense. He can shoot, handle, pass and rebound, all of which are elements the Bulldogs have relied upon in their recent frontcourt standouts.

Entering his senior summer as a solid four-star prospect, Timme destroyed his final months on the travel circuit, enhancing his resume as a five-star, national recruit. On the Nike EYBL circuit, the Drive Nation star posted per-game averages of 14.9 points (63 FG percentage), 8.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 blocks.

The signing of Timme only adds further to Gonzaga’s sparkling 2019 class. Next fall, he will be joined by Rivals150 members Brock Ravet and Anton Watson, along with Martynas Arlauskas. The WCC juggernaut may not be done yet, as it is the favorite for Oumar Ballo, one of the more coveted international prospects who hails from Mali.