Basketball Opponents to Pickleball Partners

As the March Madness tournament finally came to an end, finalists Baylor and Gonzaga both had their eyes on the prize for weeks in the NCAA bubble. While Baylor ultimately pulled out the win, the two teams beat out tons of others to play in the coveted championship game--an impressive feat. 

Much of their time in the bubble was spent practicing, working out and discussing strategies to beat one another, but that doesn’t mean there was no time for fun. In fact, coaches Scott Drew (Baylor) and Mark Few (Gonzaga) formed a partnership on the court--not basketball, of course, but pickleball.

The two coaches, who began by playing pickleball against one another, eventually decided to combine their talents and become an unstoppable force. According to some members of the teams, Drew and Few turned down several offers from players to face off in a pickleball match, saying that the players needed to “get better” before they could take on their coaches. 

As of the day before the championship, the pair remained undefeated in their pickleball tenure, proving that basketball is not the only sport where they dominate the competition. And although there could only be one NCAA champion, there appear to be no hard feelings between the two coaches, as Drew hinted that he plans to visit Few’s lakehouse over the summer to continue their relationship as pickleball teammates. 

Whether you play pickleball just for fun or for some serious competition, one thing is clear: the sport brings community and camaraderie, even in the most unexpected of places.