Tinkle played professionally for twelve years, spending most of his time in Europe in Sweden, Italy, Spain, and Greece. The Topeka Sizzlers selected him in the second round, 26th overall, in the 1989 CBA draft. Tinkle played in 12 games for the Sizzlers and averaged 19.0 points and 10.4 rebounds. Later in his first season, he signed with Liège Basket of Basketball League Belgium and averaged 24.1 points and 11.5 rebounds. In the 1990–91 season, Tinkle played for the Solna Vikings of the Swedish Basketligan, averaging 21.3 points and 11.0 rebounds. From 1991 to 1993, Tinkle played for the Tri-City Chinook of the CBA. He played in the CBA All-Star Game in 1993. On February 19, 1993, Tinkle signed with Juver Murcia of the Spanish Liga ACB. In 5 regular season games, Tinkle averaged 15.4 points and 7.6 rebounds. Tinkle began the 1993–94 season with the CBA's Rapid City Thrillers, until he signed with Onyx Caserta of the Italian Lega Basket on December 28, 1993. In nine games with Caserta, he averaged 18.7 points and 6.8 rebounds. On March 4, 1994, Tinkle re-signed with Rapid City. In the 1994–95 season, Tinkle began with Pagrati B.C. of the Greek Basket League, before signing with Somontano Huesca of Liga ACB on November 25. In 21 regular season games, he averaged 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds, and remained with the team the following season, when it became Grupo AGB Huesca. Tinkle improved to 16.8 points and 7.2 rebounds in the 1995–96 season. For Covirán Granada in the 1996–97 season, Tinkle averaged 16.2 points and 9.8 rebounds in 34 regular season games. The following season with Fórum Filatélico Valladolid, he averaged 14.1 points and 7.0 rebounds in 34 regular season games. With Cáceres CB in the 1998–99 season, Tinkle averaged 10.3 points and 6.6 rebounds. After sitting out the 1999–2000 season due to injuries, Tinkle signed with the Las Vegas Silver Bandits of the International Basketball League in January 2001, in what would be his final time playing professionally and the final season of the team. In 17 games with Las Vegas, Tinkle averaged 11.4 points and 5.1 rebounds.
Personal life
Wayne is married to Lisa McLeod, a former player for the Lady Griz. They have two daughters; Joslyn, who plays for the Sydney Uni Flames professional women's basketball team, and Elle, a former player at Gonzaga; and a son Tres, who plays for him at Oregon State. In 2014, Tinkle was named the Sexiest Man in College Basketball by CollegeInsider.com.
Coaching career
Montana
Tinkle was hired as an assistant coach at his alma mater in September 2001, and served under three head coaches. When Larry Krystkowiak left Missoula for an assistant's job in the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks, Tinkle was promoted to head coach in June 2006. He became one of the winningest coaches in school history, boasting an overall record of. Tinkle was the first at Montana to advance to the NCAA Tournament three times, and his 158 victories are the fourth-highest. He was in Big Sky Conference games, the most league wins by any coach at UM. In his penultimate season in Missoula, Tinkle led the Grizzlies to their second straight trip to the NCAA tournament, as UM played 19th-ranked Syracuse in San Jose, California. It was Montana's third trip to the Big Dance in four seasons, and the tenth in school history. With its NCAA berth in 2012, Montana advanced to post-season play a school-record four straight seasons. Montana went 19–1 in conference play that season en route to winning the conference's regular-season title, and those 19 victories are a Big Sky record. Tinkle was tabbed the Big Sky's "Coach of the Year" in the 2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons. He is the first coach in Montana history to be named the Big Sky's coach of the year twice, and was a finalist for the Hugh Durham Award, presented annually to the mid-major coach of the year. In 2011–12, the 13th-seeded Grizzlies played the fourth-seeded and 14th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers in a NCAA Tournament game in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Grizzlies lost to finish at 25–7, and tied a school record with their fourth consecutive twenty-win season. Montana was ranked 14th in the final Mid-Major Top 25 Poll following the 2012–13 season. Their 25 wins in 2012–13 tied the previous season's team for the second-most ever in school history. When the Grizzlies defeated Weber State in the Big Sky Tournament final on March 16, 2013, it was their 93rd win over the last four seasons – a school record. Tinkle was recognized for the Grizzlies' success in 2012, as he was named the NABC Division I All-District 6 "Coach of the Year" by NABC. In 2010–11, he guided Montana to a 21–11 record and a berth in the College Basketball Invitational tournament. In 2009–10, the Griz went 22–10, won the league's tourney and advanced to the NCAAs, but lost by five points to New Mexico. Tinkle went to the NCAA tournament six times at Montana: three as the head coach and three as an assistant.
