Sacramento Kings fans have a lot to be excited about heading into the 2024-25 NBA season, especially considering their strong offseason headlined by a sign-and-trade for DeMar DeRozan.
However, given that DeRozan just celebrated his 35th birthday (August 7), it makes sense that some people are worried that their new small forward may be due for some regression. But it appears that DeRozan still has plenty of venom left in his fangs.
DeRozan Goes Off In Drew League
On Sunday, DeRozan put together a monster (and I mean monster) performance to help his team win the Drew League championship – scoring 54 points and overcoming a 25-point deficit to secure the victory.
DeMar DeRozan game winning free throws
— Law Murray 🛝 (@LawMurrayTheNU) August 12, 2024
54 points
11 rebounds
Comeback from down 25
Souljas 113
Cheaters 114
First @DrewLeague title for @DeMar_DeRozan 😱😱😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/DO9zX53cvX
According to the box score, DeRozan had a double-double – tallying 11 rebounds to go with his 54 points.
DeRozan's 54 points is two points higher than his NBA career-high (52), which he put together on January 1, 2018, against the Milwaukee Bucks (when he was still a member of the Toronto Raptors).
Obviously, DeRozan isn't putting these numbers up against NBA competition. But it is still a positive sign that DeRozan can still create shots for himself (and others), which is a big part of what his responsibilities will be next year with the Kings.
What Is The Drew League?
Some of you may be wondering: what is the Drew League, and why is an established veteran like DeRozan doing participating in it?
The Drew League was established by Alvin Willis in 1973. It is now considered the #1 Pro-Am basketball league in the world – attracting some of the best pure hoopers on the planet.
A sample of the show @DeMar_DeRozan put on to bring his Mecca Cheaters squad back from down 16 points with under 5 minutes left in #TheDrew Championship Game. 🏆#DrewLeague pic.twitter.com/8rm5EAExMO
— Drew League (@DrewLeague) August 12, 2024
Being that DeRozan is an OG bucket-getter, an event like the Drew League is right up his alley. It also helps that it takes place right by DeRozan's hometown (he's from Compton, and the event takes place in Los Angeles) and that Kobe Bryant (arguably DeRozan's biggest role model) used to compete in it back in his day.
Some other notable names that have played in the Drew League before include LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Paul Pierce, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, James Harden, Baron Davis, Paul George, Cuttino Mobley, among others.
For those wondering, the team DeRozan played on was called the "Mecca Cheaters." DeRozan played with his now-former Chicago Bulls teammate Dalen Terry.