Getty Image
Baylor head basketball coach Scott Drew is reportedly a top priority for the Kentucky Wildcats. After seeing John Calipari bolt for Arkansas, the program is looking to fill its opening.
Drew is at the top of their list, and Kentucky fans are going to extreme lengths to convince him to come to Lexington!
Speculation of his interest in the position was sparked this week after a few of the Wildcats’ initial options removed themselves from consideration. Nate Oats was said to have been debating a move from Alabama, only to see Crimson Tide boosters step up with NIL support.
It was enough to convince him to stay put.
Other names like Billy Donovan, Jay Wright, and Dan Hurley have brushed off rumors this week, leading Kentucky to zero in on Scott Drew.
Fans are becoming seemingly desperate to land a high-profile coach, and he certainly fits the mold.
With the Bears, the coach has posted a 446-244 overall record while winning a national title in 2021. This came after inheriting a program that hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 1950.
Rumors of a meeting with Kentucky brass surfaced on Wednesday, though Drew was still in Waco that afternoon. He posted a photo from a local restaurant on his X feed.
Great lunch spot in Waco on a rainy day. No better friend and supporter than Eric Shero and Alliance Bank!💯 pic.twitter.com/OP2OfYNhnZ
— Scott Drew (@BUDREW) April 10, 2024
The location of that lunch was not listed, but it didn’t take long for Big Blue Nation to find out!
After doing some digging, Wildcat fans successfully identified the establishment, and then took it a step further.
Those Kentucky supporters interrupted Scott Drew during lunch with a phone call!
Someone dialed up the restaurant and told the staff to put the head coach on the phone. A waitress, apparently not keen to Baylor basketball, didn’t know who Drew was.
The caller then looked back at that initial post and described Drew’s outfit in hopes of speaking with him.
It worked!
I am told (via a text screenshot) that someone saw the picture of Scott Drew eating at the Mexican restaurant in Waco. They figured out which one it was, called it and had the waitress go over and say “we need you in Lexington”
BBN insanity is amazing
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) April 10, 2024
“Hey coach, we need you here at Kentucky,” the caller is said to have quipped once Drew got on the line.
When the coach asked who was calling, they simply said, “Just a local UK fan.”
“Honestly, that’s impressive,” Drew reportedly replied.
Here was the Waco story with relevant names taken out of it pic.twitter.com/3MlcbCUYOh
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) April 10, 2024
There is no doubting the passion of Big Blue Nation, though that die hard outlook on basketball success makes the head coaching job one of the most scrutinized in the country.
That spotlight has reportedly given Scott Drew’s wife pause as she can currently enjoy a somewhat private life in Waco. That won’t be the case in Lexington – and you can look no further than this interaction as evidence!
We should know the family’s decision soon as Drew is expected to meet with the university in the very near future.