In the archive

Looking forbetter example
Forward · 1982–85

John Drew

Out of tiny Vredenburgh, Alabama came one of the purest scorers of his era. Drew averaged a state-record 41 points a game in high school, starred at Gardner-Webb, and scored 32 in his 1974 NBA debut for Atlanta. Twice an All-Star, he finished with 15,291 points at 20.7 per game.

Utah acquired him with Freeman Williams in the 1982 Dominique Wilkins trade, and he was runner-up for Comeback Player of the Year in 1983. He lived his later years in Houston and died there in April 2022 at 67.

HOW HE CAME & WENTAtlanta traded him, Freeman Williams and cash to Utah on September 2, 1982 for the draft rights to Dominique Wilkins. A relapse into cocaine addiction ended it — the Jazz suspended him on December 6, 1984 and waived him two days later.

Full name
John Edward Drew
Utah Jazz tenure
1982–85
Position
Forward
Born
1954, Vredenburgh, Alabama
Died
2022
Height
6′6″ (198 cm)
Weight
205 lb (93 kg)
College
Gardner-Webb
Drafted
1974, 2nd round, Atlanta
Signature in the archive Atlanta Hawks 2024-25 Panini Hoops #GS-JDH

No photograph of this signature is online yet.

With the Jazz

JOHN DREW · 1982–85 · PER GAME
SEASONTEAMGMPGPPGRPGAPGSPGBPGFG%3P%FT%
1982–83UTA4427.421.25.32.20.80.2.474.000.755
1983–84UTA8122.217.74.21.71.10.0.479.273.778
1984–85UTA1924.416.24.31.81.20.1.412.000.770
JAZZ TOTAL3 SEASONS14424.118.54.51.91.00.1.468.194.768

Season by season, regular season, with this franchise only. More info: Basketball-Reference ↗  ·  Wikipedia ↗

Did you know

JOHN DREW · 8 NOTES
  • Shares the NBA record with Jason Kidd for most turnovers in a game — fourteen.
  • He grew up in Vredenburgh, Alabama, learning the game on rural dirt courts.
  • He opened his NBA career with 32 points and 12 rebounds against Chicago in October 1974.
  • Coming off the bench he averaged 18 points for the 1983-84 Team with Heart, the first Jazz squad ever to reach the playoffs.
  • Salt Lake sportscaster Paul James devoted a 1984 feature to his wardrobe — teammates considered him the club's best dresser.
  • Teammates called him Deuces for his No. 22, and Mike Glenn later argued the Hawks should retire the number.
  • On January 22, 1986 he became the first player banned for life under the NBA's substance abuse policy, ineligible to apply for reinstatement until the 1987-88 season.
  • Drew argued the rule was self-defeating, saying it 'will keep guys from coming forward and admitting they still have a problem.'