BIO: Marcus Timmons was born in Dexter, Missouri (USA) and attended Scott County Central High School in Sikeston, where he starred on one of the most dominant prep teams in the state’s history. He led Scott County Central to a 130–3 record and a Class 1-A state championship across his four-year career, earning Missouri’s top high school basketball honor, Mr. Show-Me Basketball, in 1991.

FAMILY: He is the uncle of NBA player Otto Porter Jr.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Marcus Timmons made his NBL debut with the Illawarra Hawks at 24 years of age. He scored 30 points in his first game.

1996
After losing head coach Alan Black and leading scorer and rebounder Melvin Thomas, the Hawks looked to rebuild in 1996. Although many felt the void left by Thomas and Black heading to NSW rivals Sydney would be difficult to replace, incoming coach Brendan Joyce had just the player in mind. New arrival Marcus Timmons surprised everyone by being one of the premier forwards in the competition, proving to be a more than adequate replacement for Thomas. Timmons (21.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks across 26 games) led the Hawks in scoring, rebounding, steals and blocks, but the team struggled and finished 10th with a 9-17 record.

Import point guard Andre LaFleur in his sixth season had begun to show clear signs of slowing down, averaging 18.8 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 6.9 assists, all career lows. Hawks legend Greg Hubbard also struggled to overcome a back injury which saw him average 6 points in 16 minutes per game (lowest minutes of career) and retire at the end of the season.

MELBOURNE TIGERS
1997
After losing game three of the 1996 Grand Final to South East Melbourne 107-70, Melbourne entered 1997 without long-time import Dave Simmons and Vince Hinchen. Lindsay Gaze retained Andrew Gaze, Lanard Copeland, Mark Bradtke, Ray Gordon, Blair Smith, Warrick Giddey, Daniel Egan, Damien Chapman and Erik Wickstrom, while Jarvis Lang replaced Simmons, Brett Jeffries was added and Brett Rainbow returned after sitting out the previous season.

Melbourne’s season began poorly. Bradtke returned from a short stint with the Philadelphia 76ers after missing the opening three games, only for a victory over Adelaide to later be stripped from the Tigers because his clearance paperwork had not been completed. Lang also battled serious knee problems and, after Melbourne slipped to 3-9, fans and media began putting pressure on Lindsay Gaze. The Tigers decided to release Lang and look for another import, with the replacement emerging almost by accident when North Melbourne coach Brett Brown spotted former Illawarra forward Marcus Timmons in a Wollongong hotel lobby. Andrew Gaze later recalled, “They’d just finished a game and he said, ‘I’ve just been in the lobby at the hotel and Marcus Timmons has just walked by, and if you’re looking for someone quick at least you know he is in the country’.” After one trial practice, Melbourne signed Timmons (via Illawarra), who had averaged 21.9 points and 12.3 rebounds for the Hawks the previous season.

Timmons made his Melbourne debut against Newcastle at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on June 28, finishing with 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists as the Tigers defeated the Falcons 98-87. Gaze (27 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Bradtke (24 points and 13 rebounds) provided the main support, while Scott McGregor (25 points) led Newcastle.

Timmons (17.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.5 blocks across 22 games) immediately gave Melbourne the athleticism, rebounding and defensive versatility it had been missing, starting every game after joining the team and appearing in all 22 remaining games. Copeland later said, “We got him in there and he made the difference. He was that missing link.” He added, “Marcus could do it all. He could rebound, he could bring the ball down the court, he could shoot from outside, he could defend better than anyone we had on the team.”

One of Timmons’ strongest all-round games came against Newcastle on September 6, where Timmons (25 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 5 blocks) helped Melbourne defeat the Falcons 120-112 at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre. Gaze (38 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and Copeland (20 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists) led the scoring around him, while Tonny Jensen (21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) was Newcastle’s leading scorer.

Timmons’ best regular-season scoring game came against Perth at Melbourne Park on September 20, where Timmons (26 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks) made 12-of-22 shots and did not commit a turnover as Melbourne defeated the Wildcats 107-98. Gaze (35 points and 9 assists) and Copeland (23 points and 6 rebounds) provided support, while Todd Lichti (28 points and 8 rebounds) led Perth.

The addition of Timmons transformed Melbourne’s season, with the Tigers recovering from 3-9 to finish second at 19-11 behind South East Melbourne and winning their final 14 regular-season games. Gaze (30.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 1.4 steals across 35 games) led the NBL in scoring for the 12th time, won his seventh Most Valuable Player award and earned All-NBL First Team honours, while Copeland (23 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists across 35 games) remained Melbourne’s second major scorer. Bradtke (20.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks across 30 games) joined Gaze on the All-NBL First Team, while Smith (5.8 points and 4.2 rebounds across 33 games) provided additional frontcourt depth. Lindsay Gaze was named NBL Coach of the Year.

Melbourne received a first-round bye before opening the semifinals against North Melbourne at the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre, where Timmons (16 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks) helped the Tigers defeat the Giants 107-99. Gaze (39 points and 10 assists) and Bradtke (25 points and 15 rebounds) led Melbourne, while David Stiff (24 points) was North Melbourne’s leading scorer.

Game two moved to Melbourne Park, where Timmons produced his season-high scoring game, making 11-of-15 shots and finishing with 28 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 block as Melbourne defeated North Melbourne 112-105 and completed the semifinal sweep. Gaze (34 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists) and Bradtke (26 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 assists) provided the other major contributions, while Darryl McDonald (27 points) led the Giants.

The Grand Final opened against defending champion South East Melbourne at Melbourne Park, where Timmons (24 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks) made 10-of-15 shots as Melbourne overwhelmed the Magic 111-74. Copeland (29 points and 6 rebounds) and Gaze (23 points and 9 assists) led the Tigers around him, while Frank Drmic (12 points and 11 rebounds) was South East Melbourne’s best.

South East Melbourne responded in game two, where Timmons (11 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) again recorded a double-double, but Chris Anstey (21 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks) and Drmic (16 points and 5 rebounds) helped the Magic win 84-78 and level the series. Copeland (28 points) and Gaze (18 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists) led Melbourne.

Game three returned to Melbourne Park, where Timmons (20 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) helped Melbourne defeat South East Melbourne 93-83 and win its second NBL championship. Copeland (26 points and 6 rebounds), Gaze (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists) and Bradtke (21 points and 11 rebounds) led the Tigers, while Tony Ronaldson (26 points) was South East Melbourne’s leading scorer. Giddey produced several crucial late plays, including a hard foul which broke Sam MacKinnon’s nose, a block on Drmic and a mid-court screen on Mike Kelly, while Copeland was named Grand Final MVP after averaging 27.6 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 56 percent across the series.

A great Australian sporting rivalry!! pic.twitter.com/qVrlKwROkN— RANDOM HOOPS (@HoopsRandom) March 21, 2023

1998
Melbourne was able to return with its entire Grand Final roster intact. While the Tigers had surprised the league in 1997, both with their 17-game consecutive win streak and their championship win, in 1998, the team fell far short of expectations. In hindsight, the Tigers’ core group had reached the downside of their careers with Gaze and Copeland (both 33 y/o), veterans Ray Gordon (32 y/o), and Warrick Giddey (30 y/o) all over thirty, while the average of a NBL player in 1998 being 26 years of age. This left Mark Bradtke (28 y/o) and Timmons (26 y/o) as the players on the team scoring over six points per game and under 30 years of age. Melbourne would start the season slowly, winning four of their first ten games, but head into the playoffs on a four-game winning streak, finishing in fifth place (16-14). Once into the finals, Melbourne was swiftly eliminated in the first round in two straight games by Brisbane, who featured a versatile four-person rotation just as potent as the Tigers. The four-man combo of Steve Woodberry (26.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.4 steals), Leroy Loggins (17.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.5 steals), Chuck Kornegay (16.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks) and CJ Bruton (15.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.8 steals) proving too strong in their game one win at home (93-80) and their 33 point demolition of the Tigers in game two (114-81).

Gaze (31.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.4 steals) would lead the league in scoring, be included in the All-NBL first team and earn his eighth and final league MVP in a year where the Tigers slowly began to fade away from championship contenders from this season onwards.

The core group of Lanard Copeland (22.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals), Mark Bradtke (15.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 blocks), Ray Gordon (4.1 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists) and Warrick Giddey (3.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists) all saw their numbers decline from the previous season with Timmons (19.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.4 steals) the only player on the roster to have a better season than the one prior.

1998/99
With the NBL changing its schedule to become a summer sport in 1998, the Tigers were able to pull together one last run from its aging roster. Gaze (33.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.5 assists), Lanard Copeland (25.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists), Marcus Timmons (20.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.3 blocks) and Bradtke (17.1 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.9 blocks) combined to average a ridiculous 97 points per game.

Melbourne finished second with a 17-9 record and earned a playoff rematch with Brisbane, who had eliminated Melbourne during last year’s playoffs. The Tigers would avenge that result and defeat the Bullets in two straight games. In the semifinals, the Tigers would then face long-time rivals Brian Goorjian and the Victoria Titans, and even with Marcus Timmons (31 points and 9 rebounds) delivering a standout performance, the Titans held on to win (80-77) with Tony Ronaldson (17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists) top scoring for the victors and Paul Maley (16 points) having an efficient game off the bench, making seven of his nine shots in 22 minutes of court time.

In game two, the Titans led the Tigers in all four quarters and again came away victorious (94-87). Mike Kelly (19 points and 7 rebounds) would step up, making 7 of his 12 shots, and Ben Pepper (15 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks) delivered his best game of the series, shooting an efficient 7 of 12 from the field.

Timmons earned selection to the 1998/99 All-NBL Second Team.

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PERTH WILDCATS
1999/00
During the 1999/00 season, Timmons (12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists across 16 games) joined Perth and helped the Wildcats finish third with a 22-6 record. Perth went on to win the NBL championship, defeating the Victoria Titans 84-78 and 83-76 in the Grand Final series. Timmons was named Grand Final MVP, adding a second NBL championship to the title he had won with Melbourne in 1997.

2000/01
In 2000/01, Timmons (12.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists across 31 games) helped Perth finish third in the regular season with a 21-7 record.

MELBOURNE TIGERS
2001/02
This season, Marcus Timmons would return to play for the Tigers, replacing the outgoing Phil Handy (to West Sydney). Timmons (16.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.0 blocks) would slot right back into the team, his presence catapulting the Tigers back to the top of the ladder. Lanard Copeland (25.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals) was also in amazing form this season, hoping to earn selection to the Boomers squad after being recently naturalised.

With Melbourne sitting on 9 wins and 5 losses, it lost Gaze after he suffered an ankle injury three minutes into a game against Townsville. The Tigers would then lose this game by two points (98-100) and Gaze (19.1 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) would miss twelve games with an ankle injury. This saw Melbourne drop from top of the ladder to fifth spot, recording 7 wins and 9 losses in Gaze’s absence. Mark Bradtke (22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks) would step up during this time, leading the league in rebounding for a sixth time and being selected as the NBL MVP at the end of the season.

Although not fully healed, Gaze would return to the court to help the Tigers (16-14) in their Qualifying Final matchup against crosstown rivals, the Victoria Titans (21-9).

Victoria had finished the season in first place and entered the series as clear favourites. However, after the Titans secured game one (107-113), the Tigers would bounce back with Copeland (41 points, 5 assists and 2 steals), who shot an impressive 14 from 27 shots (52%), and Timmons (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) having big games to deliver a Tigers win in game two (107-105). Copeland (37 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Timmons (21 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks) backed that performance in game three (103-97) to move onto the semi finals and face West Sydney. Gaze struggled through the series, playing in all three games but scoring total of 11 points.

Melbourne would face the fifth placed West Sydney Razorbacks (16-14) at home and behind Timmons (36 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals) and Bradtke (21 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals), come away victorious (114-93). Once the series moved to Sydney the Tigers lost games two (109-125) and three (103-115) with Gaze still not back to full health.

This season marked the first time Gaze failed to lead the Tigers in scoring since they entered the league in 1984, yet he still managed to lead the league in free throw shooting (88.4%).

2002/03
After coming close to an NBL Grand Final berth the prior season, which many feel they would have if not for an ankle injury that derailed Andrew Gaze for the playoffs, the Tigers underwent some small roster changes in 2002. Moving on were Daniel Egan (to Brisbane) and Warrick Giddey (retired), while Neil Mottram (via Perth), Blake and import Matt Rueter, who had both been playing in the state league, were also added to the roster.

The Tigers started slowly (2-4) before finding their rhythm and recording a four-game winning streak to return to the top six by round 10 (6-4). Melbourne would lose Gaze (22.1 points, 4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.1 steals) to a knee infection that saw him miss four games (one win, three losses) with David Smith (5.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists) inserted into the starting lineup. When Gaze returned to the lineup he was visibly unfit and several kilograms lighter. The Tigers had also dropped out of the playoffs picture again (9-11) after losing the NBL’s leading rebounder, Mark Bradtke (17.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 blocks) for six games with back and hamstring issues.

In addition to Gaze and Bradtke, the Tigers would rely on Lanard Copeland (18.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.4 steals) and Marcus Timmons (13.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.4 steals) to provide the offensive punch, with Neil Mottram (10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.0 assists) and Stephen Hoare (9.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists) also stepping up in Bradtke’s absence.

Heading into the last round, the Tigers (14-14) needed an extra win to avoid losing the sixth spot on the ladder to West Sydney (12-16), who had the head to head advantage against Melbourne. They would defeat Illawarra (108-99) locking in a playoff spot, but then lose to Townsville (104-106) to end the regular season (15-15).

Melbourne faced the first seed Sydney (22-8) in the Qualifying Finals and lost the opening game (89-101) thanks to big games from Kings stars Shane Heal (25 points), Kavossy Franklin (19 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists) and David Stiff (18 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks).

In game two, Bradtke (21 points, 20 rebounds, 7 assists and 2 steals) and Kings star import Chris Williams (32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals and 4 blocks) would battle inside in one of the greatest head to head battles of all-time. Although Williams would do it all that night, the Tigers locked down the Kings backcourt of Heal (14 points) and Franklin (16 points) and thanks to big games from Gaze (25 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists) and Copeland (22 points and 5 assists), came away victors in game two (108-104).

With the series returning to Sydney, the Kings simply outclassed the Tigers in game three (114-89), with Williams (25 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks) continuing his unstoppable form and the Kings winning by 25 points. The Kings locked down Melbourne’s ‘Big Three’ of Gaze, Copeland and Bradtke who in rare fashion were limited to only 34 points combined. Stephen Hoare (15 points and 12 rebounds) top scoring for the Tigers.

CAIRNS TAIPANS
2003/04
In 2003/04, Timmons averaged 19.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists across 35 games as the Taipans finished sixth with a 16-17 record and reached the finals for the first time in club history. Timmons won the Taipans’ club MVP award.

Cairns recorded its first postseason victory by defeating Perth 103-96 at the Cairns Convention Centre, with Timmons (22 points) contributing alongside Anthony Stewart (30 points), Aaron Grabau (16 points) and Chris Burgess (15 points and 9 rebounds). Cairns was eliminated by West Sydney in the following round.

2004/05
In 2004/05, Timmons averaged 14.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists across 15 games for Cairns. The Taipans released him during the season, and the club ultimately finished 10th with an 11-21 record.

NEW ZEALAND BREAKERS
2004/05
Timmons joined the Breakers in December 2004 after Cairns released him, signing with New Zealand during the same NBL season. He played 17 games for the Breakers and averaged 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists as New Zealand finished 11th with a 9-23 record.

2005/06
Timmons signed a deal to play with the Breakers in 2005 but was released during the preseason as a result of injuries limiting his production. He did not play a regular-season NBL game for the Breakers in 2005/06.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2006/07
During the 2006/07 season, Timmons averaged 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.1 assists across 16 games as the 36ers finished 11th with an 11-22 record.

Marcus Timmons played eleven seasons across six NBL teams. This included the Illawarra Hawks, Melbourne Tigers, Cairns Taipans, Perth Wildcats, New Zealand Breakers and Adelaide 36ers. He averaged 16.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 308 NBL games.

CAREER RANKINGS:

– 41st in total rebounds
– 32nd in total steals
– 29th in total blocks

HIGHLIGHTS: