SLO County basketball player grew from a 5-foot-8 teen to a college star: ‘Cinderella story’
Drew Ardouin was only 5-foot-8 as a sophomore at Atascadero High School in the 2018-19 school year — and far from being on the radar of college programs.
In fact, he wasn’t anticipated to be a top player within his own high school program.
Augie Johnston, his former varsity coach at Atascadero High, said that Ardouin “was not the best player in his class coming into high school, but he definitely was by the time he graduated.”
After excelling at Atascadero, and then at Cuesta College the past two years, Ardouin is now playing basketball at the University of San Francisco — and he has sprouted up to 6-foot-4.
He just embarked on the new season in his first year as a junior transfer. A rare San Luis Obispo County player to earn a spot on a NCAA Division 1 basketball roster, Ardouin has made the most of his opportunities, his former coach said.
“Watching Drew succeed has been one of the most satisfying things I’ve experienced as a coach because he is such a good person,” Johnston said. “He’s proof of how far consistent, intentional hard work can take you.”
As Ardouin’s physical build developed in his late teen years, his game blossomed as well through hard work, coaching and sharp-shooting.
“He was the starting point guard as a freshman, hit a growth spurt and became our varsity team’s leading scorer his junior and senior year as a shooting guard,” Johnston said. “He definitely has a bit of a Cinderella story, and I’m proud of him for believing in himself and manifesting his own success.”
High school journey
Ardouin flew under the radar coming in, but by the time he was a senior at Atascadero in 2020-21, he’d guided the Greyhounds to a 16-6 record and an Ocean League title, posting a 9-1 mark.
As a senior, he averaged 16 points on 43% 3-point shooting, draining 59 of 137 from behind the arc. He also posted an 80% free-throw rate.
“I grew about four or five inches before my junior year, and then added another inch my senior year,” Ardouin said. “I matured pretty late, and I didn’t stop growing until into my senior year.”
Ardouin credits his father, Ken Ardouin, for working with him on the fundamentals of shooting at a young age, which helped him hone his shot.
They worked on making sure his elbow was aligned and straight, not jutting to the side of his body, a common technical flaw among young shooters.
“Around seventh or eighth grade, my dad and I did a lot of shooting and drills to get the form pretty tight,” Drew Ardouin said. “Every day, he’d have me just stay really close to the basket, and then just slowly build strength and move out. It took a lot of time, a lot of patience.”
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Ardouin had a ball retriever apparatus at his family’s home, which would return a shot to him after it fell through the hoop.
“I put it through the ringer,” Ardouin said of the device. “All the parts are replaced.”
“His 3-point shooting is obviously his biggest strength,” Johnston said. “One time in practice every player shot 50 mid-range shots and 50 threes. Drew made 98 out of 100. I remember during COVID, we had a workout on the outdoor courts, and he shot 24 out of 25 from three as well.”
Johnston added: “I don’t think I’ve seen a better shooter than Drew, but I also think his defense is a strength of his. He moves as a guard at 6-foot-4 and is very disciplined in guarding and rebounding as well.”
Cuesta years
At Cuesta, after redshirting as a freshman, Ardouin continued to improve as a player, excelling against high-level junior college players from around the state.
“I think it prepared me mentally the most,” Ardouin said. “I got a lot of time at Cuesta to play in the games.”
He also steadily worked at his shooting, practicing on his own, while still striving to be multi-faceted.
“When I was at Cuesta, I would try to get at least 500-shots-plus up per day to practice,” Ardouin said. “It depends how much time I had with class. Then I’d shoot probably about 1,000 in a day on the weekend. I always tried to be a three-level scorer, finishing at the rim, and mid-range.”
By the time he was a sophomore, other teams were keying in on him as a top scorer. He averaged 20.5 points per game, becoming the leading scorer in the Western State North Conference and averaging 43.4% on 3-pointers.
Ardouin was the only player in the state to make over 100 3-point field goals each season, which he did two years in a row. And he posted an 88% free-throw mark.
He was named a first-team conference player.
“I had to learn how to create my own shot,” Ardouin said. “It helped me develop a lot as a player, with a lot of time in the game.”
Adjust to NCAA Division 1
Now at San Francisco, Ardouin’s goal will be to help the team “however I can.” The Dons beat Cal Poly 86-78 to open the regular season and followed up with an 84-73 win over Boise State.
Ardouin has yet to play but said he’s learning a ton and adjusting to the speed and strength of players at the next level. He hopes to contribute however he can.
“The goal is just to get better every day, and be the best player I can be,” Ardouin said. “Everything’s nicer here, like the facilities, and the coaching is great. I’m learning tons. It’s definitely a big step up, technicality-wise, and how they break the game down really intricately.”
His former coach described his journey as a true testament to his character and work ethic.
“Drew is a winner,” Johnston said. “Everything he does in his life, he does it at the highest level possible with the maximum amount of effort possible. His success doesn’t come from any special workout tactic or gimmick, but his success comes from who he is as a person.”
Johnston added: “He’s not afraid to put in the work and take on a challenge. That consistent approach over many years has made him the player he is today.”
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