Drew Timme Talks Lakers Role, Viral Moment, LeBron & Luka and Adjusting to the NBA

Los Angeles Lakers big man Drew Timme recently spoke with Sports Illustrated about what his experience has been like with the storied franchise during the 2025-26 NBA season.

The Gonzaga product opened up about adjusting to the NBA game, playing alongside superstars LeBron James and Luka Doncic, the viral moment with an absolutely priceless shirt worn during a postgame press conference and his role on the team moving forward into the second half of the 2025-26 campaign.

How did you feel the first time you put on a Lakers jersey, knowing the history that comes with it?

"It was pretty cool. I never thought it was it was something that would like happen. Obviously, I always thought I would like make the NBA, but like to put on a Lakers jersey, pretty surreal. Just with all the people that have worn it and the history and everything like It's so crazy to think about."

Not like that shirt you wore the other day right at the press conference?

"The T-Rex shirt? I've just always worn that type of stuff and not even realize it."

Jaxson Hayes just accepted the invite to the Slam Dunk Contest. I'm sure you guys heard about that and talk about on the bus or whatever?

"Yeah, I can't giveaway any of his ideas, though."

What was you guys reaction? Did you and your Lakers teammates know it was coming?

"No, honestly. He was like, 'Yeah, I'm gonna do it.'

"I think the East Bay the other night and game helped the case."

What has surprised you the most about the game, like the speed of the NBA game compared to college?

"There's a lot more space In the league than like in college and stuff. There's no three in the key, it's faster the shot clock obviously being Like lower. So it's just a lot faster."

What have Lakers coaches emphasized the most in terms of your development so far?

"Obviously continuing to shoot and defend. Those are probably the two main things. Just got to keep being consistent with those and then playing my tail off. Every time I'm in there, I'm just trying to play as hard as possible because I know I may get to play a little more or I may not. If I do get the chance, I just got a empty the tank."

What part of your game do you feel like is the most like underrated people only watch you in college?

"I think my passing. I would say everyone in college just kind of knows me as like a scorer, but I think my playmaking and passing for others is probably like the best part of my game."

What have you learned about being around stars like LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves?

"Just seeing how hard those guys work. Obviously, LeBron is probably the most insane when it comes to his everyday routine. It's easy to work hard when you see guys like that or who have done it all and they're at the top of the game and they continue to work super hard.

"It's free motivation for you to be like, 'Yeah, I gotta work harder, too.' It makes it makes going in fun. Everyone's getting better and starts at the top."

What does playing with like elite passers change the way that you approach screening and rolling or how you play on the floor?

"It makes everything live. I think guys are more motivated to cut and set good screens because we do share the ball a lot. I think it it's fun to play that way, when you can literally get a pass from anybody at any angle."

What's the biggest lesson you've learned from from Luka and LeBron so far?

"I really think it's just what they do every day. They do a lot more than you would think just prepping for a game. Seeing that, it's like, 'Wow, I gotta do more.' I feel like I do a decent amount and then you see those guys they're in there. I feel like LeBron starts his day. He might even start earlier. But he's in there like 7 a.m. Getting his body worked on. Massage and table work and then he's doing something like every single hour on game day.

"That's how locked and prepared he is."

So it was a bit of a shock, 'Okay, I thought I was preparing at an elite level,' and you see it on another level entirely?

"Exactly. It makes sense why he's the best player of all time. He's doing way more than everybody."

So that answers the GOAT conversation then, huh?

"Yeah, I've said that before though."

How do you stay confident when the minutes and opportunities kind of fluctuate?

"It's obviously like a bit of a challenge sometimes, but that's part of the job. You've got to be ready for your chance if and when you get it and that's part of being a professional. It's part of working as hard as you do because if you're not ready, then you're certainly not gonna get another one."

How did you your time in the Gonzaga kind of prepare you for the mental side of the NBA?

"It was huge. Coach [Mark] Few is super good treating us like pros. He's like, 'We're not gonna tell you to work hard. If you want to play, you will work hard and you're gonna get what you want but you have to take your career in your own hands.' Ask coaches to come and help you work out. Ask to do this, ask you that. Obviously, they're gonna get you better, but he wants you to take ownership of your development. I think being a pro, that's a huge part. Everybody's good. It's what can you do to take yourself to that next level to get to that next gear. I think Gonzaga did a great job of mentally preparing you for that. "

What's it like playing in a market where every game, every possession is kind of like dissected?

"It's honestly a little crazy at times. I guess that's what comes with it being like in a market like L.A. but it is crazy that it seems every play, quarter, game is like the end of the world if it doesn't go well. It's a long season. There's a lot of ups and downs, obviously. It's just funny to see how like it seems like we're all up on a high then. We're all up on a low."

What kind of role do you envision like yourself growing into with the Lakers?

"I think the guy that does whatever is asked. I think when I come in the game now, a couple games ago, I scored a lot and then these other games, I've just been playing hard, contributing on defense and making the offense flow a little differently than it normally does.

"So I think for me, it's just whatever I can do to help the teams is my role. Obviously, because we do have the stars like you mentioned earlier. They didn't bring me in here to score 30 points every night. We already have the best dudes in the league at doing that, so finding a way to impact the game. It's definitely how I see myself impacting this team."

What do you want your game to be in two to three years?

"Honestly, continuing to get better. I feel like I still have room to get better. Just continue to be a better shooter, better defender and hopefully making a decent amount of change with it, too."

Did you have a Welcome-to-the-NBA moment?

"When I was with the [Milwaukee] Bucks in training camp, I'd have to guard Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. That was firm welcoming.

Did he go at you every day?

"Oh, yeah. He's an ultra competitor man. So I It was fun, but it definitely was a challenge."

Get some elbows in the ribs a few times?

"Oh, yeah big shoulder to the chest."

What's the toughest big that you've ever gone against? Giannis in practice or is there somebody else that sticks out?

"If he counts as the big, then definitely him, because he kind of can do it all. And you know what he's gonna do. He's gonna get downhill. He's gonna bump you. It's like, 'What can you do?' You need the whole squad to help you out with that one. Probably him."

So this is a tricky one, I don't know what you were gonna go with this one but best passer you've played with?

"I'm gonna say Andrew Nembhard. I think just the the chemistry we had and the connection we had. Obviously, he's doing it at such a high level now in the league. He was definitely one of my favorite players to play with."

So you guys just played with each other so long, and he knew where you were pretty much all the time?

"Yeah, I knew even if he couldn't see me, if I just got to the right spot, somehow the ball would just end up right where it is supposed to be."

What former Laker big man do you study or you admire?

"Probably my former favorite Laker big is Rob Sacre."

I knew you were gonna say that! Guy was hilarious in the Lakers locker room, by the way.

"He's a character. Especially when I was at GU. He would come practice with us and I'd work out him all the time, so he's a super good dude, and it's got to be him."

Do you give you some insight on what it's like to be a Laker and all the stuff you go through and all the added pressure and exposure you're gonna get?

"In a Rob way. Yeah."

That's a good way to put it. That brings me back!