Navy radio announcer Pete Medhurst refers to Donovan Draper as “Inspector Gadget” during broadcasts.
That’s because the Navy men’s basketball standout possesses impossibly long arms that seem to stretch out and extend whenever he grabs a rebound or snares a steal.
When Draper used his impressive length to reach high above the rim to grab a rebound that sealed a Navy victory over Army, Medhurst exclaimed, “Inspector Gadget does it again!”
That nickname is also applicable because Draper has proven quite versatile, making positive contributions in a number of departments.
Draper has been a real gift to a program that was rebuilding after graduating eight seniors, including four starters. Draper was an unexpected newcomer to the roster, having switched to basketball after playing football as a freshman.
Coach Ed DeChellis recalled the day Draper stopped by the office and asked if he could join the team, declaring that “basketball is my first love.” DeChellis told Draper to talk to first-year Navy football coach Brian Newberry to make sure he was okay with the decision since that was the sport he was recruited to the Naval Academy to play.
Navy’s basketball staff knew about Draper from seeing him play in Amateur Athletic Union tournaments in Florida. They worked out the 6-foot-5, 205-pound forward for a few weeks during the spring and determined he would be an asset to the program.
Draper earned a starting spot and made an immediate impact. Averaging 27 minutes per game, he ranks second on the squad in scoring with 9.7 points per game and leads Navy in rebounding with a 9.1 average.
Because of his impressive wingspan, Draper plays much bigger than his height and also leads the Midshipmen with 48 steals and 13 blocked shots. He stands third on the team with 25 assists.
“I think Drape’s best attribute is that he has a great nose for the ball. He rebounds really well and does a great job of getting his hands on balls. He gets a lot of steals and deflections,” DeChellis said.
Draper sometimes gambles and goes for steals he can’t get and winds up out of position defensively as a result. Knowing how to play the passing lanes without getting beat is one of many things he is learning as the season goes along.
“Experience-wise, [Draper] is a freshman. He hasn’t played competitive basketball in two years and is still learning the nuances of Division I college basketball,” DeChellis said. “He has a really, really high ceiling and is only going to get better and better. He just needs experience in order to get a better feel for the game.”
DeChellis noted this coming offseason will be huge for Draper in terms of “developing the fundamentals — catching, passing, dribbling, shooting — the whole works.”
Navy was among several Division I programs that recruited Draper for football. However, he had no Division I offers for basketball. That was largely due to the pandemic wiping out his junior high school season and much of the following summer’s AAU campaign.
Draper had a strong senior season for Forest Hill High in West Palm Beach, Florida, averaging 17.5 points and 10.4 rebounds on the way to being named Palm Beach Post Player of the Year for large schools.
Draper attended the Naval Academy Prep School during the 2021-22 academic year and routinely played pickup games with basketball recruits such as Mike Woods, Cam Cormany, Sam Krist and Grant Hopkins.
Draper’s plebe season of football was disappointing as he was sidelined for several months with hamstring and wrist injuries. When head coach Ken Niumatalolo was dismissed, it seemed like an omen that he was meant to be a forward instead of a wide receiver.
“When our head coach got let go I saw it as a sign. I took it as a chance to move over and play the sport I love the most,” Draper said. “I always wanted to play college basketball. I don’t have the same passion for football.”
Draper readily admits there has been a steep learning curve that is constant and ongoing. Doing individual skill development drills under the direction of the coaching staff and playing pickup ball with teammates during the spring and summer helped him reacclimate to the court.
“My coaches and teammates have made it easy to transition from football to basketball,” Draper said. “Every day I’m learning something new.”
Frankly, it’s rather remarkable that Draper is playing at such a high level after going 994 days between his last high school game and his first game at Navy. He leads the Patriot League in double-doubles (8), rebounds (191) and steals (48). He also tops the conference in both offensive and defensive rebounds per game.
“I’m not really surprised by my performance so far. I believe in my abilities to play this game,” Draper said. “It helps that my coaches and teammates have believed in me and put me in a position to do well.”
Draper is currently in the midst of a slight slump that has coincided with a four-game losing streak for Navy (8-13, 4-6). He posted a double-double against Bucknell, but shot just 3-for-12 from the field in the game. He has averaged less than five points and six rebounds in the three games since.
“Second time around through the league and teams are starting to take away his strengths,” DeChellis said.
Draper primarily drives to the basket right-handed so opponents are overplaying that side and forcing him to go left. Scouting reports emphasize Draper’s offensive rebounding ability and opposing coaches are now making a conscious effort to keep him off the glass.
“It’s definitely been tougher playing teams the second time around,” Draper acknowledged. “Obviously, they know my tendencies and what I like to do. I’ve been trying to give teams a different look to counteract that.”
Draper has struggled shooting free throws most of the season, but has shown recent improvement in that department, making 11 of 13 over the last four games after going 3-for-11 against Lehigh.
“Everything is new for Drape and there are a lot of concepts he has to figure out,” DeChellis said. “There’s no break between plays like there is in football. It’s constant action and play after play, which requires great focus. Consistency is the big issue and that’s something all young players struggle with.”
Bucknell at Navy
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: 1430 AM