THE CHEAP SEATS WITH STEVE CAMERON: Now, we know who we've got

They could have released the news all at once.

But would that be any fun?

Nah.

Not from Gonzaga’s viewpoint, anyhow — as the university athletic department allowed the news of three key starters and their withdrawals from the NBA draft to flow out over three long days, and with the speed of an iceberg in winter.

Now, at last, we know.

First, the Zags tossed out a press release Tuesday that guard Rasir Bolton would be back for another season.

Great.

And then Wednesday, the absolute deadline for players to leave the draft and retain eligibility, we had the drama that presumably was the point of doing things in order.

Around midday, GU announced that Julian Strawther would return for the 2022-23 season, leaving only Drew Timme – perhaps the biggest fish in the entire pro/college decision pond — swimming alone in a cloud of mystery.

No one needed to ask about Chet Holmgren, who is about to become a zillionaire when he’s picked in the rarest air of the NBA draft, or point guard Andrew Nembhard, who said at the outset that he was done with college ball.

BUT …

Timme?

Hoops experts pegged Gonzaga around No. 15 in their “way-too-early” rankings, then boosted the Zags to the top five range when it began to sound like Dr. Mustache was coming back to school.

Still, we were getting to what the military might call “Zero-Dark-Timme” — about a half-hour ahead of the 8:59 p.m. deadline — before word filtered out that the Zags heart and soul was returning.

The funny thing is that Timme played pretty well at the NBA Combine, and did something that scouts have said was necessary for him to make an impact as a pro — he knocked down 3-point shots.

That could have pushed Drew’s stock from, say, the bottom of the draft’s second round (if he were drafted at all) to somewhere close to the No. 40-45 range.

Maybe.

Every scouting report hit the same flaw, unfortunately, a lack of athleticism and short-burst foot speed that would make it difficult or even impossible for Timme to play defense against quicksilver NBA forwards.

On the other hand …

Former Gonzaga All-American Dan Dickau, who does regular TV work and hosts a podcast focused on the Zags, kept reminding listeners: “It only takes one team to fall in love with you.”

Dickau no doubt was thinking that some NBA team that thinks outside the box – Golden State, for instance — might project Timme as an instant-offense type of player.

There doesn’t seem to be any doubt among pro scouts and executives that Timme could score against anybody, and they love his competitive fire.

However …

They would clearly like to see if that 3-point success at the combine, which seemed to come out of nowhere, could become reliable – and make Drew a truly dangerous inside-outside point producer.

That would change Timme’s stock considerably, and the best place for him to prove he has developed a consistent outside game would be back at Gonzaga.

In that scenario, Timme could earn plenty of NIL money during another season in Spokane (he’s just about the best-known college player, with the biggest personality) while working to become an NBA-level shooter from beyond the arc.

IN FACT, there were jokes that Timme might announce his return from a casino, picking up his first NIL check of the new season.

He didn’t go THAT far, but Timme maintained strict radio silence throughout Wednesday and into the night.

Nothing on Twitter.

Nothing from his normally chatty mom and dad via tweets, either.

Nothing from Gonzaga … at least, not until exactly six minutes prior to the deadline.

It began to feel as though Timme’s supporting cast – Bolton, Strawther and lots more talent – would be around for the season opener, but the star of the show might not.

Then, finally …

Shams Charania of The Athletic quoted solid “sources” that Timme was going to play another year at Gonzaga.

Everyone else picked up the story, Timme remained silent (good news in this case), and it looks now that the whole thing had been a done deal.

IF IT seemed a little strange that Gonzaga didn’t do those three separate press releases – Bolton, Strawther, and then Timme – by early Wednesday evening, it might actually be because there was a hint of uncertainty remaining inside the program.

If that was the case, somebody please help Mark Few with some deep breathing exercises.

Honestly, though …

The Zags are generally all so close, I’m pretty sure Few knew what was coming.

So, why the suspense?

Maybe Gonzaga wanted to haul the good times over THREE days.

You think?

Email: [email protected]

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press three times each week. He also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball which is published monthly during the off season, and weekly beginning in October.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”