In March, fresh off another dominant season, Eric Henderson sat in his office at South Dakota State, thinking about how to do it all again.
He turned the Jackrabbits into a Summit League powerhouse. In six years, he won 68% of his games, captured the regular-season title four times and reached the NCAA Tournament twice.
As he sat there, searching for recruits and evaluating his returning talent, his phone rang.
It was a number he recognized.
A call from home
“It was pretty early when I received the call,” Henderson said. “It was right around the time when Ben [McCollum] got announced. I was working on the team for next year when I got the call from our athletic director, Brian Harden, that Drake wanted to visit with me about their head coach opening.”
“Honestly, I had spoken to Brian the year before when coach McCollum got the job, and we had a good conversation then,” Henderson continued. “I was pretty confident Ben was going to get it that year, but I still wanted to make sure that I started a relationship with Brian. This job has always intrigued me a little bit.”
Henderson was intrigued by the Bulldogs’ interest. He was born and raised two hours south of Des Moines and many of his family members live in the surrounding areas.
But South Dakota had become his second home.
“I have a lot of love for that place and the opportunities we were able to create for young people,” Henderson said. “And then the friendships, too, and the community, not only the South Dakota State community but the community of Brookings, too. That’s all my kids really knew. That part was really difficult.”
It was tough for Henderson to move on from nine years of success, fond memories, and fruitful relationships, but the coach has a unique passion for challenging himself.
Drake’s head coaching position comes with lofty expectations. The Bulldogs have been to the NCAA Tournament four of the last seven years and have a community dedicated to ensuring their success continues, despite having had three coaches in the previous three seasons.
“Some people look at the challenge of Drake and the Missouri Valley Conference and the tradition that has been here the last seven to eight years, and want to run from that,” Henderson said. “They’d say it’s too much pressure. But to me, that’s really exciting.”
Henderson was hired a week after his first call with Harden and tasked with rebuilding Drake’s roster from scratch in back-to-back seasons.
In his first seven months on the job, he has built a roster and coaching staff that Drake fans should be excited about.
Four Factors
When transitioning from the Summit League to the more competitive Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), Henderson knew the Bulldogs would need four things to compete: size, experience, physicality and versatility.
“When we did our research on the Missouri Valley Conference and looked at rosters and looked at the teams that had success, there were very, very few underclassmen that had significant roles within their team,” Henderson said. “We knew we needed to hit the portal and get older and get guys with experience. So, when we decided that, we considered it okay; we wanted to be one of the league’s most physical, best rebounding and best defensive teams. Because we believe that ultimately, when it comes to Arch Madness, that usually, you know, can determine your success or usually determines a team’s success.”
It’s a similar formula to last season’s team, which won the MVC Tournament and advanced to the Round of 32. According to CBB Analytics, the Bulldogs were in the 90th percentile or better in defensive rating, steals, and defensive and offensive rebounding percentage.
Henderson wants to replicate some of that success but put his own spin on it. McCollum’s Bulldogs were built on slowing things down, ranking in the zero percentile in pace, according to CBB Analytics. They also minimized mistakes and scored in the paint.
This year, Drake will look to play similarly to Henderson’s Jackrabbits, which loved to play with pace, drive, kick and get out in transition.
“We like guys that can dribble, pass and shoot too,” Henderson. “We want to play fast. We want to be one of the most efficient offensive teams in the country, which we have been at South Dakota State. So, we look for guys who can get downhill and paint touches. We need some guys who can make shots. And that’s really what our focus was when we started looking at the transfer portal.”
Bringing the vision to life
To bring that vision to life, Henderson went to work immediately. Within weeks of being hired, he and his staff rebuilt Drake’s roster around the same pillars that fueled his success at South Dakota State.
The first piece he added was someone who already understood what he wanted: Owen Larson, a sophomore guard who followed Henderson from Brookings, South Dakota.
“Owen’s a warrior,” Henderson said. “He’s a lead guard with toughness and the ability to get downhill. He shot 39% from 3 as a true freshman, and he’s built on character. That’s the kind of player we want this program to be built around.”
Around Larson, Henderson surrounded him with veterans who could step in and contribute immediately. Jalen Quinn, a senior transfer from Loyola Chicago, has been one of the early standouts with his ability to defend, attack the rim andplay through contact. Henderson believes he has the tools to become one of the best two-way guards in the MVC.
Wilguens Jr. Exacte, a junior from Bowling Green, gives Drake a powerful, athletic presence on the wing.
Henderson praised his physicality, rebounding and range, calling him one of the most versatile players on the roster. Alongside him, Okku Federiko, a 6-foot-9 forward from South Carolina, brings a unique blend of size and skill.
“He’s 6’9 and can do a little of everything,” Henderson said. “He’ll handle the ball, post up, and shoot it from deep. He’s going to surprise people.”
On the Inside, Isaiah Carr, a 6-foot-11 senior transfer from Denver, gives the Bulldogs a true rim protector. Two years ago, Carr ranked among the top 10 shot blockers in the country, and his presence anchors Drake’s interior defense.
On the perimeter, Braden Appelhans, a 6-foot-6 redshirt junior from New Mexico, stretches the floor and adds scoring punch.
Returning players Andrew Alia and Eli Shetlar offer much-needed continuity from last season’s championship group. Alia, a redshirt junior, was limited by injury last year but remains a vocal leader. Shetlar, who has now played under three different head coaches, has adapted quickly to Henderson’s system and continues to show steady growth.
Building Chemistry
Integrating so many new pieces can be difficult, but Henderson prioritized togetherness from Day 1.
“We’ve played more five-on-five than any team I’ve ever coached,” Henderson said. “They’ve got to learn each other’s games, movements and tendencies. That’s how you build trust and connection.”
Off the court, Henderson emphasized structure and culture just as much as scheme.
“You can love and trust each other all you want, but you’ve got to be on the same page,” he said. “That’s been a huge deal for us.”
Building for the Future
While this year’s group leans heavily on upperclassmen, Henderson has also built a strong foundation for what’s next. His freshmen class — Griffen Goodbary, Bryson Bahl, LJ Rush and Heri Bukinga — have already impressed the staff.
Goodbary, a 6-foot-10 forward and South Dakota’s Player of the Year, stretches the floor and fits perfectly into Henderson’s pace-and-space system. Bahl, a 6-foot-4 guard from Nebraska, brings shooting and competitiveness. Rush, a dynamic point guard from North Carolina, is fearless attacking the paint and plays with energy that belies his size. Bukinga, a 6-foot-11 forward, has the physical frame and defensive instincts of a high-major big.
“They’ve had moments where you just go, ‘Wow,'” Henderson said. “They’re young, but they’re talented, and they all have a chance to help us this year.”
Large shoes to fill
In just a few months, Henderson has reshaped Drake basketball in his image. The Bulldogs might look different, but their standard remains the same.
Win the Valley, dance in March and carry the expectations of a program that has withstood the highs and lows of modern college basketball.
Still, Henderson isn’t caught up in comparisons or pressure. He’s focused on the process.
“I don’t really look at it like pressure,” Henderson said. “We have great support here — people who show up, love our players and are committed to winning. We just want to keep doing things right, treating people the right way, and working our tails off. Then we’ll let the results speak for themselves.”
“I know what Coach McCollum and Coach DeVries did here, and we’re proud of that,” he finished. “It’s not something we want to shy away from. Every program is somehow rebuilding, but I believe in the roster we’ve put together and what we’re building here.”
