Is Bryce Drew related to Scott Drew? What to know about Baylor, Grand Canyon coaching connection

Gilbert McGregor

Is Bryce Drew related to Scott Drew? What to know about Baylor, Grand Canyon coaching connection image

When you think of famous families in March Madness, chances are you'll think of players and coaches who have delivered some of the biggest moments in the history of the NCAA Tournament.

As the 2024 NCAA Tournament carries on, two head coaches with the same last name certainly check both boxes.

Three years after leading the program to its first-ever national title, Baylor's Scott Drew is looking to lead the Bears to the mountaintop again. Elsewhere in the West region, Bryce Drew has put the Antelopes of Grand Canyon University on the map with a big first-round upset of No. 5 seed Saint Mary's.

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They share a last name and bear some resemblance, but are the Drews related? Here is what you need to know about the familial connection between the two legends of March Madness.

Is Bryce Drew related to Scott Drew?

Yes, the two Drews are related. Scott Drew is the older brother of Bryce Drew.

To say that basketball runs in the family would be an understatement — the Drews' father, Homer Drew, had a coaching career that spanned five decades.

Homer Drew is most known for his role as the head coach of Valparaiso University, a title he held from 1988 to 2011.

Who is Bryce Drew?

Bryce Drew played for his father at Valparaiso and, as a senior in 1998, hit one of the biggest shots in the March Madness history. With the 13-seed Crusaders trailing 4-seed Mississippi by two points with 2.5 seconds left, Drew hit a 3-pointer as time expired to pull off the upset.

Widely regarded as the greatest player in Valparaiso history, Bryce Drew's Crusaders team advanced to the Sweet 16 in 1998. On the heels of an impressive tournament run, Drew was selected 16th overall in the 1998 NBA Draft and enjoyed a six-year career with the Rockets, Bulls and Hornets franchises.

After retiring from professional basketball in 2005, Drew joined his father's staff at Valparaiso as an assistant coach and later the associate head coach. In 2011, Bryce Drew succeeded his father as Valparaiso's lead man.

Following five seasons of leading his alma mater, Bryce Drew was hired to lead Vanderbilt in 2016. Drew's time seasons in Nashville did not result in much team success and he was fired following the 2018-19 season.

Drew spent a year away from coaching before being hired as Grand Canyon's head coach in March 2020. In four seasons leading the Antelopes, Drew has led the program to three NCAA Tournament appearances, with the program's first Division I tournament win coming in 2024.

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Who is Scott Drew?

Scott Drew did not enjoy the playing career of his younger brother, instead getting a fast track into coaching, becoming a student manager at Butler University before joining his dad's coaching staff at Valparaiso in 1993.

Following the 2001-02 season, Homer Drew retired from coaching, paving the way for Scott to become the next head coach at Valparaiso. That arrangement would last just one year before Scott was hired as Baylor's head coach in August 2003.

As a result of Scott's untimely hiring, Homer came out of retirement to retake the position of Valparaiso's head coach.

Scott Drew's late hiring was in response to Baylor's program reeling from a scandal uncovered after the murder of Baylor player Patrick Dennehy by his teammate Carlton Dotson, which resulted in one of the harshest penalties ever placed upon a Division I program. Drew has propelled Baylor back into being a perennial power and made the scandal a distant memory.

In 21 seasons, Drew has led Baylor to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, three Elite Eights and the 2021 national title. Drew has coached 17 players that have gone on to play in the NBA, including four All-Americans.

Between Homer, Scott and Bryce, the Drew family has amassed one of the most impressive NCAA Tournament resumes, complete with titles and incredible moments.

Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.