Could Scott Drew be Kentucky’s next coach? Why he’d make sense as John Calipari successor

[ad_1]

LEXINGTON — With John Calipari looking ahead after stepping down following a 15-year run at Kentucky, his old job becomes the most high-profile vacancy in college basketball. Plenty of names will be mentioned for the opening, from a former UK coach (Rick Pitino) to a former UK assistant (Billy Donovan) to the man who on Monday won his second straight national title (Dan Hurley).

It’s not likely any of them will wind up succeeding Calipari.

A far more logical choice: Baylor’s Scott Drew, who has a longstanding relationship with Kentucky athletics director Mitch Barnhart. And it’s long been rumored that the next time the Wildcats needed a new men’s basketball coach, Drew would be at the top of Barnhart’s wish list.

Here are three things to know about Drew with UK’s coaching search underway:

Scott Drew is a winner

At Kentucky, national titles matter.

Drew already has one. He led the Bears to the NCAA championship in 2021.

But that’s not all: Along with Kansas, Baylor is one of only two Division I programs to win at least 18 games every season since 2008. In addition, Baylor has advanced to five Sweet 16s, three Elite Eights and set a Big 12 record for consecutive wins (23) in 2019-20 during Drew’s tenure.

He is Baylor’s all-time winningest coach, with a 446-244 (.646) record in 21 seasons.

Scott Drew is no stranger to developing, recruiting talent

Fourteen Baylor players have landed All-America laurels under Drew. That includes the first consensus first-team All-American in program history: Jared Butler in 2021. In 2019-20, the Bears became the first Big 12 school to ever have all five starters capture all-conference honors.

And on the recruiting front, Drew has been no slouch.

According to 247Sports’ all-time rankings, Drew has landed seven five-star prospects during his time with the Bears. That includes the most highly touted signee in history — and a prospect Drew beat Calipari and the Wildcats for — in VJ Edgecombe, the No. 4 overall player in the 2024 class. In addition to…

[ad_2]
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/could-scott-drew-kentuckys-next-191349251.html

Author : The Courier Journal

Publish date : 2024-04-09 19:13:49

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.