THE JOURNEY
From a relentless kid chasing D1 dreams to the #1 NBA Skills Coach in the world. This is the story of Drew Hanlen.
A Relentless Work Ethic Was Born
Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Drew developed an obsessive work ethic from a young age. While other kids were hanging out, Drew was in the gym — studying the game, perfecting his craft, and building the foundation that would define his career.
Fell in Love with Skill Development
As an undersized player, Drew fell in love with skill development at a young age, seeing it as his way to gain an edge. While his friends played knock out or 21 on one side of the gym, he pushed himself through individual skills workouts on the other end.
A Challenge That Lasted A Career
As a kid, Drew was challenged to give up sweets for a month each year. At 12, he decided to not eat sweets for the rest of his playing career because he thought it would improve his body and athleticism. Not one sip or one bite, even at birthdays, holiday gatherings, or hanging out with friends. He went over a decade, until he completed his college career, without having a single sweet.
500 Shots Before School
As a sixth grader, Drew attended a Mizzou basketball camp, where former head coach Quin Snyder asked campers a simple, but powerful question: "What separates you from everyone else who also wants a scholarship?" Drew took that challenge personally and began waking up early to shoot 500 shots before school every morning.
1,000 Shots Before School
In high school, Drew began waking up at 4:59 A.M. every morning to shoot 1,000 shots before school on The Gun. In four years, he only missed four days of working out.
Pure Sweat Basketball Was Born
As a junior in high school, Drew founded Pure Sweat Basketball with a simple mission: to provide elite-level skill training to players at every level.
Driveway Dedication Drill Book
That same summer, Drew self-published a drill book featuring his favorite drills so players could train on their own. He drove to camps, tournaments, and events across the Midwest, selling thousands of copies directly from his backpack and the trunk of his car.
State Champion & Player of the Year
Drew's relentless work ethic paid off, as he helped Webster Groves win a state championship and was named Missouri Player of the Year.
Training Bradley Beal in High School
After averaging 8.2 PPG as a freshman in high school, Bradley Beal began training with Drew, and the very next season his scoring soared to 23.5 points per game, leading Chaminade to a state championship. Beal went on to earn Gatorade National Player of the Year honors as a senior, was selected third overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, and became a multiple time NBA All Star.
First NBA Client — David Lee
While still in college, David Lee became Drew's first full-time NBA client. David won an NBA Championship with the Warriors and was a 2X NBA All-Star.
Camps in 35 States & A Future All-Star Camper
Throughout college, Drew traveled around the U.S. and ran camps and clinics in 35 states. Fun fact: Zach LaVine was a camper at an event Drew ran for high schoolers.
First Team All-Conference & 2 NCAA Tournament Appearances
As a college player, Drew earned First Team All-Conference honors and led Belmont University to two NCAA tournament appearances. In his senior year, he made 48.2% of his three-point attempts, ranking second in the nation.
Started Training Jayson Tatum in High School
Drew began working with a young Jayson Tatum while Tatum was still in high school. This early partnership would become one of the most iconic coach-player relationships in modern basketball, as Tatum has become an NBA Champion and earned four First Team All-NBA selections.
2014 NBA Draft
Drew trained and prepared Andrew Wiggins (#1 Pick), Zach LaVine (#13 Pick) and Jordan Clarkson (#46 Pick) throughout their Pre-Draft process.
2015 NBA Draft — Kelly Oubre Jr.
Drew trained Kelly Oubre Jr. throughout his pre-draft process, and he was selected 15th by the Washington Wizards.
RJ Barrett's 15th Birthday Gift
On his 15th birthday, RJ Barrett got a workout with Drew, and they have continued training together ever since.
Joel Embiid — Developing the Future MVP
Joel Embiid began training with Drew the summer before his rookie season, developing the skills that would turn him into one of basketball's most dominant scorers and result in his 2022–23 NBA MVP.
Taking the Stage
Drew started taking the stage at businesses and conferences to share compelling stories from his work with top athletes and business leaders, along with practical systems and strategies.
Unseen Hours World Tour
Following years of running international camps and clinics, Drew organized his first global tour in 2019, visiting 11 cities across six countries over the course of a month.
Tyler Herro — From Sixth Man to All-Star
Tyler Herro started training with Drew, earning Sixth Man of the Year that season and eventually being named an NBA All-Star.
Tyrese Haliburton — From Playmaker to All-NBA
Tyrese Haliburton turned to Drew for help midway through the 2022 season while averaging 13.8 PPG, and the following season he averaged 20.7 points, became an All-Star, and has since become an All-NBA player.
Chet Holmgren — From Summer Runs to All-Star
After playing in one of Drew's famous summer runs, Chet Holmgren started working with him full-time and has since become an NBA All-Star.
Tyrese Maxey — All-Star & Most Improved Player
Tyrese Maxey began training with Drew in 2023, and went on to be named an All-Star and the NBA Most Improved Player that same season.
Trey Murphy — Breakout Scorer
Following a 14.8 points per game scoring average in 2023–24, Trey Murphy started full-time training with Drew and raised his scoring average to 21.2 points per game the next year.
USA Today Bestselling Author
Drew's self-improvement book, Stop Bullshitting Yourself, which shares the success systems of some of the world's top athletes and business leaders, became a USA Today bestseller.
A Global Impact
Drew has run sold out events in 41 countries and sold over 256,000 training programs in 91 countries worldwide. His company, Pure Sweat Basketball, now features 36 of the top skills coaches from around the world, delivering online courses, a workout app, and mentorship programs. His content has surpassed 100 million total views across his social media platforms.
The Journey Continues
Follow Drew's story as he continues to develop the next generation of elite basketball players.
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