Drew Pember

Drew Pember
Personal information
Born (2000-06-14) June 14, 2000 (age 24)
Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High schoolBearden
(Knoxville, Tennessee)
College
NBA draft2024: undrafted
Playing career2024–present
PositionPower forward
Career highlights and awards

Donald Andrew Pember (born June 14, 2000) is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the UNC Asheville Bulldogs and the Tennessee Volunteers.

Early life and high school career

Pember grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee and attended Bearden High School.[1] As a junior, he averaged 10 points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and 2.7 assists per game and was named All-District 4-AAA.[2] Pember was rated a three-star recruit and committed to playing college basketball for Tennessee over offers from Davidson, Mercer, and Florida Atlantic.[3]

College career

Pember played in 22 games off the bench for the Tennessee Volunteers and averaged 1.3 points and one rebound per game. He played in 10 games and averaged 2.8 minutes played per game as a sophomore.[4] Pember entered the NCAA transfer portal at the end of the season.[5]

Pember ultimately transferred to UNC Asheville.[6] He was named the Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first team All-Big South after averaging 15.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and three blocked shots per game in his first season with the Bulldogs.[7] Pember scored a school-record with 48 points scored in an 88–80 overtime win over Presbyterian.[8] As a senior, he averaged 21 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. Pember was named Big South Player of the Year and repeated as Defensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Big South at the end of the season.[9] He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2023 Big South Conference men's basketball tournament after scoring 29 points in the final against Campbell.[10] Pember considered entering the 2023 NBA draft, but ultimately decided to utilize the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes who played in the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and return to UNC Asheville.[11]

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft, Pember was invited to join the Charlotte Hornets for NBA Summer League.[12]

Career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

College

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2019–20 Tennessee 22 0 5.5 .333 .200 .714 1.0 .2 .0 .1 1.3
2020–21 Tennessee 10 0 2.8 .111 .000 – .3 .4 .2 .1 .2
2021–22 UNC Asheville 31 30 26.9 .495 .356 .863 6.6 1.4 .8 3.0 15.7
2022–23 UNC Asheville 36 36 33.4 .464 .380 .837 9.2 2.3 .9 2.4 21.0
Career 99 66 22.1 .468 .356 .842 5.7 1.4 .6 1.8 12.9

Personal life

Pember's parents were both college athletes at Carson-Newman University, with his father playing basketball and his mother playing volleyball.[13]

References

  1. ^ Henley, Gene (October 16, 2019). "Tennessee freshman basketball player Drew Pember makes gains before season". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  2. ^ "UT Vols basketball: What Bearden forward Drew Pember brings". Knoxville News Sentinel. June 13, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  3. ^ Wilson, Mike (June 8, 2018). "Bearden forward Drew Pember commits to Tennessee Vols basketball". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  4. ^ Ramey, Grant (March 26, 2021). "Vols sophomore forward Drew Pember enters transfer portal". 247Sports. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  5. ^ "Drew Pember to transfer from Tennessee basketball". Knoxville News Sentinel. March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  6. ^ "Tennessee transfer Drew Pember transformed into star for UNC-Asheville". Asheville Citizen-Times. December 18, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  7. ^ "Pember returns to Walton full of confidence". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. December 21, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  8. ^ Gore, Mike (February 1, 2023). "Tennessee basketball transfer Drew Pember setting records at UNC Asheville". Asheville Citizen-Times. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  9. ^ Fisher, Andy (February 28, 2023). "Drew Pember Named Big South Player of the Year, Mike Morrell Tabbed Coach of the Year". WLOS.com. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
  10. ^ "UNC Asheville rallies to win Big South championship". Charlotte Observer. March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  11. ^ Womack, Chris (April 4, 2023). "Big South Player of the Year Pember coming back for one more ride at UNC Asheville". WLOS.com. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  12. ^ "UNCA basketball's Drew Pember accepts invitation to Charlotte Hornets' summer league team". citizen-times.com. June 28, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  13. ^ "Star center Drew Pember has UNC Asheville atop Big South". Charlotte Observer. February 27, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.