By Gio Gennero | Sports Writer, Joe Pratt | LTVN Sports Director
This weekend Baylor men’s basketball head coach Scott Drew is being inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame after the conclusion of his 20th season in Waco. Drew has over 400 wins with the green and gold, including multiple conference championships, coach of the year awards and helped grab the 2021 National Championship.
Drew said he’s humbled to receive the honor and added he and his staff used to make jokes surrounding the Texas Sports Hall of Fame being right down the road.
“In recruiting we used to joke, [if] you come to Baylor and do real well, we’ll sneak your picture in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame at night,” Drew said. “It’s a tremendously humbling accomplishment, but something that I’m really proud of is that everyone gets to be a part of it. It’s not Scott Drew going in there, it’s Baylor basketball, Baylor University and everything we’ve done here.”
Despite all the success that he’s had, Drew mentioned many of the people who’ve helped him along the way.
As the years have passed, Drew said he learned from his father, Homer Drew, what the real priority of his role is. Drew said he understands his presence of being a father figure in the lives of different groups of young men year in and year out, thanks to his dad.
“My dad always impressed me, the older he got, the more it was about his student-athletes and what kind of men, fathers and husbands they are,” Drew said. “When past players come in, to hear about their success and how they’re doing, personally I care most about that.”
Over his tenure at Baylor, Drew has developed a “Culture of Joy,” that he’s molded from Clemson University head football coach, Dabo Swinney. Drew also said there were other basketball coaches he would watch that inspired him along the way.
“I always looked up and admired Roy Williams, Tony Dungy, a lot of people that do it with more inspiration and positivity,” Drew said. “God creates us all uniquely different and you have to use the strengths He’s given you. I know as a parent, I would want my kids to get coached a certain way, so I try to exemplify that.”
Seven other members are being inducted alongside Drew, including NFL legends Michael Strahan and Adrian Peterson, former Houston Astros star José Cruz and others. Drew said he’s part of a great group and joked that when he received the call, his initial response was to make sure they had the right number.
“It’s a great class, it’s going to be great any time you get the best from the state of Texas,” Drew said. “It’ll be a great accomplishment to be recognized with them. They must’ve snuck my picture in there at night.”
