LOS ANGELES -- The official start of the 2016-17 basketball season for Cal State Dominguez Hills is just less than three months away, but for former Toro hoopster Van Girard, who donned the Cardinal and Gold from 2010-12 and has been nicknamed Teen Wolf due in part to his lambchop sideburns, his Drew League season as a member of team Basketball 4 Life is in full stride.
Just named a Top Performer for scoring 30 points in week 3 of play, Girard was featured by Aaron Williams, a freelance writer who contributes to DrewLeague.com amongst others. Read the feature on Girard here, with quotes from Girard's coach Baron Davis, a former UCLA and NBA great who himself competed in the Drew.
About the Drew League
Alvin Wills established the Drew League in 1973 with 6 teams. Wills believed this league could be a place for young men and women of South Central Los Angeles to learn life lessons through basketball.
The Drew League's goal was to help young people form meaningful relationships on the court that would spill over into the neighborhood, as well as build an institution that would bring top local high school, college, and pro players back to the community.
As a long time friend and mentor to Dino Smiley, in 1985 Wills decided it was time to let Smiley have a shot at directing the league. By 1985 the league had grown from the original 6 teams to 10 teams. Today the league matches up 28 "invitation-only" teams to battle it out on the hardwood.
Forty years ago, no one would have predicted that the gym at Charles Drew Junior High School on the corner of Compton and Firestone would play host to Southern California's toughest competition, attracting streetball legends, collegiate athletes, and several NBA stars.
The list of notable players who have graced the Drew floor includes: Kobe Bryant, Byron Scott, John Williams, Greg Anthony, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Paul Pierce, Andre Miller, Trevor Ariza, Nick Young, JaVale McGee, Brandon Jennings, Demar Derozan, James Harden, Cuttino Mobley, Baron Davis, Paul George, Metta World Peace, John Wall and JR Smith.
