
The former Otago Nuggets hero will be back in the New Zealand league this year but will be suiting up for his old team’s neighbours.
Timmins, the league’s most outstanding New Zealand forward or centre and an all-star in 2021 and key plank in the Nuggets’ championship in 2022, will play the second half of the season for the Southland Sharks under new coach Jonathan Yim.
It will be the fourth NBL team he has represented, having also had stints with the Canterbury Rams and the Franklin Bulls after making his Nuggets debut as a 15-year-old at Otago Boys’ High School.
After stints in the Australian NBL with the New Zealand Breakers and the Sydney Kings, Timmins is playing for Tryhoop Okayama in the Japanese B League, and will not join the Sharks until that season is over.
It may mean he will play just a handful of games for the Sharks, but Timmins is eager to return to Invercargill, where he had a stint at primary school while his father, Brendon, played rugby for Southland from 2000 to 2003.
"I’m excited to be joining the Sharks and working with coach Yim and the squad he’s putting together," Timmins said in a statement.
"It’s been a few years now since my time at Salford [Primary School] when Dad was with the Stags but I’m looking forward to getting back down to Invervegas.
"Although I will be arriving once my season in Japan finishes, I’ll be working with coach Yim as much as possible beforehand to make sure it’s a seamless transition.
"I’m pumped to learn from him and his time in the NBA and G-League to develop my own game and bring in some wins."
Yim said he was "absolutely ecstatic" to add Timmins to the Sharks’ roster.
"Sam is widely recognised as one of the most accomplished and dominant players in New Zealand basketball, and his reputation as a competitor speaks for itself," Yim said.
"His experience with the Tall Blacks and his tremendous success in the NZNBL is invaluable, giving him a deep understanding of what it takes to win at the highest level.
"Sam has consistently proven himself, demonstrating poise, toughness, and a skill set that few can match.
"His ability to impact both ends of the floor will be a tremendous boost to our team, and beyond his talent, he brings leadership, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to excellence — qualities that align perfectly with the culture we are building."
Yim remained coy about his plans to cover Timmins’ early-season absence but hinted another signing was imminent.
"We’ve been working hard this offseason to build out the roster, a roster that the Southland community can be proud of and get behind.
"Sam is a massive part of that, and the rest of the team we are bringing in truly embody everything this region stands for — hard work, toughness, and a deep love for the game."
The Sharks’ next signing announcement is expected tomorrow, and Yim arrives in Invercargill this weekend.
The Nuggets, by comparison, are lagging behind but are expected to announce their new coach very soon.