In a revealing interview, Drake head coach Ben McCollum shared his thoughts on a pivotal moment in his career, one that ultimately led him to decline an opportunity to join Grant McCasland’s staff at Texas Tech. Despite being a highly sought-after basketball mind, McCollum chose to remain at Northwest Missouri State, a decision that proved fruitful as he later landed the head coaching job at Drake.
McCollum’s relationship with McCasland, whom he considers “one of my really close friends,” played a significant role in his consideration of the Texas Tech opportunity. However, McCollum’s desire to remain a head coach ultimately took precedence. “I probably wanted to stay a head coach,” he admitted. “That’s why I didn’t pursue a lot of those opportunities throughout my career.”
In hindsight, McCollum’s decision to stay at Northwest Missouri State and later take the helm at Drake has been vindicated. In his first season as head coach, he led the Bulldogs to an impressive 30-3 overall record and a berth in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
As fate would have it, Texas Tech and Drake may soon find themselves on a collision course in the NCAA Tournament. Should the Bulldogs defeat Missouri in the first round and the Red Raiders knock off UNC Wilmington, the two teams would meet in the second round. This potential matchup would pit McCasland against his friend and former coaching target, McCollum.
In a testament to their enduring friendship and mutual respect, McCollum spoke glowingly of McCasland, describing him as “one of the few people in the world that I would work for.” McCollum’s praise for McCasland’s character and coaching acumen serves as a reminder that, even in the high-stakes world of college basketball, relationships and personal connections can play a significant role in shaping careers and destinies.
As the NCAA Tournament unfolds, fans will be keeping a close eye on the potential Texas Tech-Drake matchup, one that would bring together two friends and coaching counterparts in a battle for tournament supremacy.
