There is mutual interest between Vanderbilt and Valparaiso head coach Bryce Drew about the Commodores' vacant head coaching position, according to sources familiar with the situation.
CBS Sports reports Drew has also been contacted by Georgia Tech about its head coaching vacancy.
Drew is considered a rising star in the college coaching ranks. He removed himself from consideration for jobs at Alabama and DePaul last year, but sources say he has a high level of interest in the Vanderbilt position.
The 41-year-old Drew just finished his fifth season at Valpo, where he led his alma mater to a runner-up finish in the NIT Thursday night, capping a school record 30-win season. Drew has a career record of 124-48, has won four Horizon League regular season titles and led the Crusaders to the NCAA Tournament twice.
Drew served as an assistant at Valpo under his father, Homer Drew, for six seasons before being named head coach in 2011. He also played six seasons in the NBA with the Rockets, Bulls and Hornets.
Drew was selected 16th overall by the Rockets in the 1998 NBA Draft following four seasons as a standout guard with the Crusaders. He was twice named the Mid-Continent Conference Player of the Year. He also made one of the most famous shots in NCAA Tournament history, making a buzzer-beater to upset heavily favored Ole Miss in the first round in 1998.
Vanderbilt is searching for a new coach to replace Kevin Stallings, who was named the head coach at Pittsburgh Sunday. Stallings is the winningest coach in school history with 332 wins and seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 17 seasons.
Former Vanderbilt coach Eddie Fogler has been hired by the school as a consultant to assist with the first coaching search in the men's basketball program since 1999.
