He admitted it was a tough decision to pass on playing for the Otago Nuggets in this year’s National Basketball League.
He bleeds blue and gold and Dunedin is his "favourite place".
But when Timmins (23) returned from his final season at the University of Washington, the Nuggets were not supposed to be in the league.
So he signed with the Franklin Bulls.
When Covid-19 reshaped the NBL, the Nuggets entered and he had the option of switching sides.
But he felt it was important to honour his original commitment.
He had enjoyed playing with the Bulls and proved a strong interior force, posting 10.9 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
His 26 blocks were nine more than anyone else in the league.
Despite that, he admitted it had been tough playing against his home-town team.
"It was hard," the 2.11m centre said.
"Obviously, I had a bit more fire when I was playing against those guys.
"The Nuggets do mean a lot to me, especially being so proud to be an Otago boy — it was hard to make that decision.
"But at the same time I made a lot of connections with a lot of great people, so I definitely got a lot out of it."’
He is now back in Dunedin, enjoying spending extended time with his family and working out every day with Nuggets guard Richie Rodger.
His goal remains to reach the NBA, basketball’s pinnacle league in the United States.
He was well exposed to that high level during his time at college in Seattle, playing against many NBA players and in NBA arenas.
On top of that, Markelle Fultz, Matisse Thybulle and Marquesse Chriss are among team-mates now excelling in the NBA.
"I’ve never really been that invested in [following] the NBA.
"Obviously, I enjoyed watching it, but now I can turn the TV on and see my friends playing in the NBA and they’re all doing really well.
"I can get super pumped for it."
Being surrounded by that calibre of player on a daily basis had been a key lesson from going to a high-level college.
Everyone was trying to reach the NBA and that helped everyone push each other to be their best.
It had also taught him to cherish the highs and to get something out of the lows.
He had experienced both extremes — his third year was one of the best in team history, while his first and fourth were two of the worst.
While he had nothing lined up because of the uncertainty around the world, he was making sure he was staying ready.
In saying that, the Nuggets would always loom large as an option.
"It’s always going to be hard for me to turn that down, because I’m such a proud Otago boy.
"But obviously there’s a long time between now and then."
