What better combination would a basketball enthusiast want than watching professional and amateur players play in the same league? This is exactly what Drew League is: a pro-am summer basketball league in Los Angeles. The league is chaired by Los Angeles native Dino Smiley, and the games are played on Saturdays and Sundays.
After getting established in 1973, the league has given its fans a chance to witness talents from every format, like streetball, college ball, and the NBA, for 50 seasons. The Drew League gets its name from Charles R. Drew Middle School, where the founder, Alvin Wills, used to work.
Since its foundation, the league has seen more than 25,000 players, with 28 teams currently participating.
History of the Drew league and its legacy for 50 years
Founded by Alvin Wills, the league that began in South Central has proven to be a remarkable success story, bringing together all kinds of basketball talents and continuing to flourish in the same community. With just six teams in the initial seasons, the league started to gain popularity around the 1980s and attracted a lot of NBA players to compete during the off-season.
De’Anthony Melton & Delon Wright led the Hometown Favorites to the win claiming the 2022 @DrewLeague Championship 🏆 #NBASummer x #TheDrew
Congratulations @DeAnthonyMelton & @delonwright! pic.twitter.com/1bVEaexHZU
— NBA (@NBA) August 22, 2022
The audience began to rise even more, averaging 800 per game, during the 2011 NBA lockout as the league saw a hike in the participation of NBA stars. As the big names started to associate with the league’s popularity, it was impossible for the existing gyms to hold such a large audience.
In order to accommodate the growing attendance, the Drew League relocated to King/Drew Magnet High School in 2012 from the gym at Leon H. Washington Park. The league’s list of gyms includes Drew Middle School, Washington Park, King/Drew High School, Los Angeles Southwest College, and Cal State Long Beach.
These gyms have been graced by notable players and stars like LeBron James, DeMar DeRozan, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant.
Such players, while teaming up with amateur players, always put on an amazing show for the audience. On July 16, 2022, while playing for the MMV cheaters, LeBron James put up 42 points, 16 rebounds, and four steals and gave the crowd what they came to see. DeMar DeRozan scored 38 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in an M.H.P. vs. Hank’s New Image game.
Over the course of 50 years, players have represented more than 12 countries or regions, including the United States, Spain, Mexico, Germany, Italy, China, Japan, France, Canada, Africa, Costa Rica, Venezuela, and the Philippines and have become a home for all kinds of fans who love the game of basketball.