courant
STORRS — Dan Hurley, the head coach of UConn's men's basketball program, has leveraged the expanded roster limits in college hoops to bring in seasoned players who can lead by example. The coaching staff has prioritized what they call "character guys" or "culture fits," and the strategy paid off last season with contributions from players like Alec Millender and Dwayne Koroma, who accepted limited court time but made an impact behind the scenes.
Now, a new batch of veterans is on board, and Isaiah Shaw perfectly embodies that role. "These summer workouts are extremely important," Shaw remarked last week. "We've been emphasizing that for almost eight weeks, and there hasn't been any letup. It's been competitive every single day, everybody has been working their butts off, and that's what it takes to win championships. It's my job to make sure I keep these younger guys motivated."
Basketball Bloodline
Shaw's family tree is steeped in basketball lore. His grandfather, Homer Drew, was a legendary coach at Valparaiso. His parents, Casey Shaw and Dana Drew, were both standout players at Toledo. Born in Rome while his father played professionally in Europe, Shaw began his college career at Grand Canyon University under his uncle, Bryce Drew, with his father serving as an assistant. He later transferred to Valpo, and another uncle, Scott Drew, coaches at Baylor. Hurley, perhaps half-jokingly, even asked Shaw if he was spying for his uncles during his campus visit.
"Isaiah comes from a great basketball family and he fits our culture," Hurley said. "On the court, he can space the floor with his perimeter shooting and has tremendous versatility. He's a veteran whose experience, work ethic, and basketball knowledge will be an invaluable asset for the program."
Despite such a pedigree, UConn wasn't on Shaw's radar until recently. "At the time (during the NCAA Tournament), I hadn't even gone into the portal yet when (Braylon) Mullins hit that shot," Shaw recalled. "I remember watching the UConn-Duke Elite Eight game on the couch with my brothers. We watched the whole game, and they were down almost 20 at halftime. I told my brother, 'Maybe there's a chance they could come back and win this thing.' But at the time, there was no connection with UConn. The only connection was that I played for coach Tim Russo, who was here at UConn, and a couple of months later, I'm here."
Russo, a former UConn grad assistant, is now an assistant at Northern Arizona, where Shaw played last season. Under Russo's guidance, Shaw refined his shooting mechanics, starting 22 games and hitting 46.4% from beyond the arc. Now, he's moving to his fourth school for a different experience and role, adding branches of the Shaw-Drew basketball tree to UConn's sturdy foundation.
"Coach Bryce Drew was amazing to play for," Shaw said. "I played three years at Grand Canyon, went to the NCAA Tournament twice, and won a game in the tournament my last year. So I've been a part of winning teams, obviously not winning to this level, but I do have a decent amount of experience in the tournament, and I understand what it takes to get there. The biggest similarity is that teams have to be so together. Every single player, top to bottom, has to be bought in. There has to be a camaraderie and love in the locker room, on the court, off the court. There has to be a different kind of vibe with a championship team, and UConn, from the moment I stepped on campus, I immediately felt that."
Shaw's career spans 101 college games, though he didn't see action in 12th-seeded GCU's first-round upset of No. 5 seed St. Mary's in 2024. He has averaged 12.7 minutes, 5.0 points, and 1.5 rebounds per game. Last year at UNA, his scoring (8.1 points per game) and 3-point shooting were career highs. At UConn, his primary role is to set an example, both on and off the court.
"Our role as players, especially my role as a veteran guy on this team, is to uphold that culture every single day," Shaw said. "Just make sure guys are working hard, guys are staying together, the locker room is staying together. The goal is winning, and when we win, it's good for everybody."
Shaw's basketball lineage allows him to contribute in multiple ways, and he sounded more like a coach than a player when reviewing the Huskies' eight weeks of summer practices. "From where we started in the summer, even the way we run offense, it's so fast-paced," he said. "Coach Hurley throws a lot at us at once, and just seeing the growth and progression over these eight weeks has been amazing. Even in the weight room, guys gaining weight, getting stronger, or even guys losing weight—amazing improvements in that area. Our bodies look good; we're ready to roll. That's important going into September, the foundation you've laid already. We have so much talent on this team, our younger guys are really talented. I'm going to have to set an example, show them how to play for a coach like Coach Hurley and accept coaching constructively, and in a positive way. When we understand that and bring it every day, the sky's the limit for this team. March will be here before you know it."
Originally reported by courant.