Gonzaga junior Drew Timme finalist for Abdul-Jabbar Center of Year Award

March 4, 2022 Updated Fri., March 4, 2022 at 5:42 p.m.

By Jim Meehan jimm@spokesman.com (509) 459-5585

Gonzaga junior Drew Timme is among five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday.

Timme has a growing collection of hardware and awards, including being named the West Coast Conference Most Valuable player earlier this week.

Auburn’s Walker Kessler, Connecticut’s Adama Sanogo, Illinois’ Kofi Cockburn and Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe join Timme as Abdul-Jabbar finalists.

Gonzaga is 86-6 in Timme’s 92 career games over three seasons, including 43-2 in WCC games. The 6-foot-10 native of Texas averages 17.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and a career-high 2.7 assists.

Timme scored a career-high 37 points in a November win over then No. 5 Texas. He had 30 and 32 points in consecutive games against BYU and Santa Clara in January. In those three games, Timme connected on 42 of 51 shots (82.3%).

He was the top scorer in WCC games at 18.5 points per game. He’s made 58.3% of his field-goal attempts, third in the conference and 17th nationally.

Timme won the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award last season after averaging 19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

The Zags have three awards finalists: Timme (Abdul-Jabbar), Chet Holmgren (Malone) and Andrew Nembhard (Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year). Fan voting on the awards begins Friday at hoophallawards.com.

Former Zag Przemek Karnowski won the Abdul-Jabbar Award in 2017. Recent winners include Iowa’s Luke Garza (2020 and 2021), Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ (2019) and Seton Hall’s Angel Delgado (2018).

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Gonzaga junior Drew Timme finalist for Abdul-Jabbar Center of Year Award

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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