What Does a Drew-Tang Reunion Mean for Baylor Basketball Moving Forward?

Basketball expert Ashley Hodge discusses the positives that can come from former assistant coach Jerome Tang returning to Waco.

Assuming former Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang returns to Waco, what would that mean for Baylor basketball, and what could he provide as an assistant?

Ashley: One, obviously, Jerome Tang is loved by the fanbase in Waco, and there are a lot of good memories and results that accompanied his tenure at Baylor as an assistant to Scott Drew. They’ve been through some wars together, so there’s a lot of trust built, and they had a formula that worked. 

Two, Drew is a tremendous coach and person, as well as a future Hall of Famer, but we all have our strengths and weaknesses. Drew can probably use a “bad cop” on the coaching staff, or if you prefer, a coach who has the gift of bluntness when it comes to coaching. I think there are coaches on the staff who coach this team hard, but Tang has the ability to be direct in a way that complements Drew’s style.

I reached out to a handful of former players and coaches about this expected addition, and they were all very supportive, assuming this happens relatively soon. Comments like “it just feels right for Tang and Drew to be together” and “this is a 10 out of 10 hire.”

I still think assistant coach Ron Sanchez will have control over the defense, but I expect Tang will have a big influence on that side of the court as well.