It just gettin’ better with time
It’s like a greater later winner eve-ry time
I got the will and the skill
That the building can’t kill, that’s real
Who that? The Undeniable
True that, the most incredible
Mos Def hooked it, but Larry Drew II most definitely lives it.
It’s just gettin’ better with time. Larry Drew Sr. started it. In 1976, the father played Division 1 basketball at the University of Missouri. He played four years and was eventually drafted 17th overall into the NBA. He played for the Pistons, Kings, Clippers and Lakers. After his playing career, Larry Sr. was an assistant coach for the Lakers, Pistons, Wizards, Nets and currently, the Atlanta Hawks. In that time he’s fathered three boys—10-year-old Lindsey, 13-year-old Landon and the next entry into the Drew family dominance: Larry Jr.
It’s like a greater later winner eve-ry time. Larry Drew Jr. was born in 1990, a time when his father was playing with Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Larry ended his career shortly after his son was born. And even though LD2 never got the chance to watch his father play, he still lived the lifestyle. Young prepubescent cats with the names of Timmy, Johnny and Kevin went to summer camp and danced to a whack band called Eiffel 65. LD2 went to NBA training camp. He didn’t have some sketch 16-year-old who rocked out to Limp Bizkit as his councilor, Larry hung out with players the likes of Kobe Bryant. When LD2 got to high school, he had an NBA assistant coach break down his game tapes, constructively criticizes his mistakes, all to make him a better basketball player. According to his father, he already is. His mother agrees with that assessment.
I got the will and the skill, that the building can’t kill, that’s real. Larry Drew Jr. decided years ago he wanted to be an NBA player. He watched Kobe Bryant walk, talk and pass the time. Merely by the way Mamba carried himself, Larry decided then and there he wanted to be an NBA player. He made this decision at the eloquent age of eight. From then on the work began. He went to Taft High School in California and wore the same colors and rocked the same letter-jacket that current Lakers PG Jordan Farmar donned in high school. He took over the team as a freshman after the ex-Bruin graduated from Taft and quickly became the team’s leading scorer. Over his HS career, he endured naysayers, haters, and even a postseason ban his team received his junior year for an ineligible player, making a 20-4 campaign all for naught. Through it all, he held his head high, turned the swag dial to phenomenal and let it be like Paul McCartney. He didn’t pop off. He didn’t lose composure. In his senior year, he led Taft to the City Championship, was elected to the McDonalds All-American Team, and even won the McDonalds 3-Point Contest.
Who that? The Undeniable. True that, the most incredible. All the hoop heads, ball jockeys and SLAM faithful will have to wait a season for LD2 to unleash on the NCAA scene. Well, he’s getting some burn right now as a freshman for the UNC Tarheels, but it’s very limited with the outstanding play of Ty Lawson and the senior leadership of Bobby Frasor. You might not know it now, but next year Larry Drew II plans to unleash his swagger on the world. You might not see it yet, but Larry could be better than the current ‘Heels PG. In fact, Danny Green stated recently that LD2 wasn’t far behind Ty Lawson as it stands now. Right now, it’s “Who that?” Stay posted up, ears to the streets, and it’s “the undeniable”. Cats coast-to-coast will simply respond, “True that, the most incredible.”
