Lakers’ Drew Timme drops LeBron James GOAT declaration after landing two-way contract

Newly signed Los Angeles Lakers forward Drew Timme did not hold back his admiration for LeBron James after receiving a two-way contract on Monday, calling the 41-year-old superstar the “GOAT” while reflecting on recent practice sessions together.

Timme, who has spent the early part of the season with the South Bay Lakers, spoke to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin on Tuesday and detailed what it meant to share the court with James as the veteran ramped up toward his season debut following a sciatica injury.

“It was pretty crazy, man. I mean, like that’s the GOAT — to be able to share the court with him especially being a G League team, that’s so outside of the normal of anything,” Timme said. “It was crazy, but I think it just shows how connected the two programs are… He came down and that’s our job to help him get back in game speed so we were just glad to help and it was really cool to work with him.”

James joined South Bay for a series of five-on-five sessions last week as part of the clearance process before his 23rd NBA season. Timme said he was on James’ team during those scrimmages and took the opportunity to adapt to his style.

“I was on his team and I just tried to get him the ball in his spots,” Timme said. “Whatever he needed me to do, I’ll try to do, so it was fun.”

“It was pretty crazy, man. Like, I mean, that’s the GOAT.” – Drew Timme on sharing the G League practice court with LeBron James and now playing with the Lakers on a two-way deal pic.twitter.com/sa2ARZgfv6

— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 25, 2025

Drew Timme studies LeBron James’ GOAT-level poise as Lakers evaluate his two-way role

The former Gonzaga star added that watching James operate up close provided valuable insight as he adjusts to an expanded role in South Bay — one that includes more ball-handling and perimeter play.

“Just how he was able to get to his spots,” Timme said when asked what he learned. “He looked like he was never sped up, the game’s in slow motion for him. To see how he attacked different things, I kind of watched as a fan and a student… I tried to pick up a couple of little things from him.”

The Lakers officially signed Timme, 25, to a two-way deal after waiving Christian Koloko. Timme has been one of South Bay’s most productive players this season, averaging 25.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, four assists and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from deep across six appearances. His lone NBA stint prior to this season came with the Brooklyn Nets, where he averaged 12.1 points and 7.2 rebounds in nine games as a rookie.

James, who made his season debut last week against the Utah Jazz, has played in two games since returning. The 20-time All-Star is averaging 14 points, 10 assists, 4.5 rebounds and one steal while shooting 48 percent from the field in 32 minutes per contest. His return has helped stabilize a Lakers team that has surged to a 12-4 record, winning four straight and climbing the Western Conference standings.

The Lakers now prepare to begin a four-game homestand, starting Tuesday night with an NBA Cup matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers (5-12) at 11:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Los Angeles will look to extend its early-season momentum while integrating James back into the rotation and evaluating how Timme fits into the organization’s long-term plans.

The post Lakers’ Drew Timme drops LeBron James GOAT declaration after landing two-way contract appeared first on ClutchPoints.