Drake basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Bulldogs

Starting Lineup Older Than Some NBA Teams

Drake’s top seven players may be the best top seven in the Missouri Valley Conference. Every player other than the freshman DeVries in their top seven has won some kind of league-wide honor. Late season injuries have kept the Bulldogs from greater postseason success in two of DeVries’ seasons.

Roman Penn – Point Guard

Penn is an outstanding facilitator and can get his own mid-range shot about any time he wants to. A master at the pick and roll, and is on the front end of a lot of ‘alley-oop’ teammate dunks. He missed the last five games of last season with a foot injury but appears to be fully healed now.

Penn led the Valley assist race with a 5.5 average and scored 11.2 points per game. He was a first-team all MVC performer. DeVries says Penn is sometimes ‘too selfish’ because he looks to pass when his 45% shooting touch could be very effective. Penn is the team’s unquestioned floor leader.

ShanQuan Hemphill – Wing

‘Tank’ is an electrifying player. A second-teamer last season, his year was cut short by his own foot injury. He returned to play limited minutes in Drake’s NCAA Tournament games. Hemphill is a high-light reel dunker that averaged 13.2 points and 5.9 rebounds.

The 6’6 wing was also named to the Valley’s all-defense team. Hemphill is a key cog in Drake’s pressure defense. If Penn is the leader, Hemphill is energy. His on-court presence lifts his teammates with his dramatic flair and infectious passion.

Tremell Murphy – Wing

Murphy was named to last Spring’s All-Tournament team. The 6’6 wing and D.J. Wilkins were two of DeVries’ first signings and are coming back for year four. Murphy averaged 10.1 points and over five rebounds per game last year. An athletic defender and efficient offensive player. He converted 50% of his shots inside the arc and 37% from long distance.

He has tallied 659 points and 367 rebounds during his time in Des Moines. He missed most of the 2019-20 season with an injury. He, his twin Anthony and Wilkins all transferred to Drake from Florida Southwestern State College.

D.J. Wilkins – Guard

Wilkins is the team’s best three-point shooter. His silky-smooth stroke delivers 40% of the time for a team-leading 67 triples (in 31 games). He is one of the returners who averaged double digits in scoring (10.1 per game).

Wilkins was named to the 2019 All-Freshman team and has tallied 959 points during his three-year career.

Darnell Brodie – Center

Brodie’s first-year contribution at Drake was very underestimated by those that didn’t watch closely. The 6’10 Seton Hall transfer’s numbers don’t jump off the page. His 7.7 scoring and 7.3 rebounding averages didn’t move him into all-conference consideration.

However, at 275 pounds, Brodie anchored the Drake defense and held his own with Cameron Krutwig, Gaige Prim, and Austin Phyfe. Drake went 6-2 against Loyola, Missouri State, and Northern Iowa.

Brodie converted 56% of his field-goal attempts and was named to the Valley’s all-newcomer team.