Drew Timme put up some of quality defensive work when the topic of his legacy at Gonzaga and in college basketball surfaced recently. It isn’t the first time he’s been asked the question. It won’t be the last. He gave a reasoned response, but he’s keenly aware any answer would be incomplete with his senior season about to take flight. It’s like taking a four-page test with only three pages on your desk.

Today, in our annual college basketball preview section, we take a deep dive into Timme's legacy, one that's still being built. Writers Jim Meehan and Dave Boling write about his place in history and what makes him a star. 

Drew Timme ended last season with an unnecessary apology. And he started this one with a surprise announcement. With those two acts, Timme may have redefined the concept of being a Zag.

What defines the ‘Ultimate Zag?’ Some may point to the blue collar work ethic that characterized many of Gonzaga’s teams during the Cinderella era. Perhaps it’s a distinct physical feature (looking at you Adam Morrison, Przemek Karnowski and Drew Timme). Others might say someone who elevated the Bulldogs’ program to previously unforeseen heights as a result of their individual brilliance.

Nobody was counting the Bulldogs out of the national championship picture when Chet Holmgren and Andrew Nembhard departed for the NBA, but Mark Few’s job got a lot easier – and the job of GU’s opponents that much harder – when Drew Timme, junior wing Julian Strawther and senior guard Rasir Bolton all made decisions to return to school, bolstering GU's roster with three all-conference players who accounted for 41.4 points per game of production in 2021-22.

Gonzaga shouldn’t fret about losing to a high-major opponent over the next month or two if for no other reason than they’ll probably be getting a crack at another a handful of days later.

In many ways life is back to normal for the Gonzaga women. The pandemic is finally in the rear-view mirror, crowds are expected to fill the Kennel once again and the Zags are favored to win the West Coast Conference regular-season title.

Someday soon, the jersey of Gonzaga legend Courtney Vandersloot will take its much-deserved place in the rafters of the Kennel. That begs the question: Are there any obvious “next up” candidates in the women’s program?

PULLMAN – In March, the Washington State basketball team wrapped up its best season in a decade. The Cougars bowed out of the NIT in the semifinal round, but they left the court at Madison Square Garden with a promising outlook for the 2022-23 season.