Timme opened up about his self-belief after helping the team secure a victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.
The Lakers (25-16) snapped a two-game losing streak behind strong performances from their stars, with LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and Deandre Ayton all finishing with at least 20 points.
But it was the contributions from the bench, particularly from Timme, that helped swing momentum in the second quarter when Toronto held a seven-point lead and the Lakers were staring down a third straight loss.
Drew Timme Opens Up About Self-Belief
Timme may be on a two-way contract with the Lakers, but his confidence remains at an all-star level.
After the game, he reflected on the doubters he has faced throughout his basketball journey and how he uses that criticism as motivation to keep pushing forward.
"At the end of the day, I'm a good player," Timme said. "I believe in myself and my abilities and I believe that I can impact the game at any level, anywhere."
Timme went on to explain how that unwavering belief keeps him motivated even on difficult days when he might not be feeling his best.
When the Lakers signed him to a two-way deal back in November, Timme continued to dominate with the South Bay Lakers in the G League, putting up 25.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game before getting called up to help the big club deal with their frontcourt injuries.
His breakout performance against Portland on Saturday night, where he shot 75 percent from the floor and knocked down three of his four three-point attempts, proved he belonged on an NBA court when given real minutes.
His comments came after another solid outing against the Raptors on Sunday where he finished with three points, three rebounds, and two assists while recording a team-best plus-minus of plus-17 in just 16 minutes of action.
Redick Praises Big Lineup That Swung the Game
Head coach JJ Redick made the bold decision to deploy Timme alongside Jarred Vanderbilt, Deandre Ayton, and LeBron James to start the second quarter, and the results were immediate.
The Lakers turned a seven-point deficit into a seven-point lead during that stretch, with Timme assisting on a LeBron three-pointer and hitting one of his own from near the top of the key before Toronto called timeout.
"He was great," Redick said postgame. "He certainly earned a spot coming off last night, where he played phenomenal… but it's still like a little jarring to see Vando, Drew, [Ayton], LeBron, that's a big lineup. And they did a good job of playing out of the post during that stretch, and we also were able to get some stops and run."
The Raptors (25-19) dropped their second game in a row and will continue their five-game road trip when they face the Golden State Warriors next, while the Lakers head to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Tuesday night.