Isaiah Shaw was raised playing the game. Taught by family, sharpened by experience and driven by legacy. For Shaw, basketball isn't just a game, it's a family heirloom that shaped his long, winding journey to Northern Arizona University.
When it comes to Shaw's family, their legacy runs deep in basketball circles. Shaw's father was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers and played 13 professional seasons spanning the NBA to Europe, and his mother graduated as Toledo's all-time leading scorer. He has two uncles who are current NCAA Division I head coaches, and a grandfather with 640 career wins as a collegiate head coach.
"Basketball is in my blood, so there wasn't any other option I could have done," said Shaw, a redshirt junior and first-year member on the NAU men's basketball team.
Growing up in a basketball household, Shaw had a basketball in his hands for as long as he can remember, and as one of four siblings, it was a competitive environment.
"The one-on-one games, if they didn't end in tears or blood, we probably weren't going as hard as we should have," stated Shaw, who mentioned that game time was often a whole family activity. "My mom would get out there on the court with us. She's got real sharp elbows, so you gotta watch out for that."
With the sport so ingrained in the Shaw household, it brought them together, providing a common link. Both basketball and family shaped Shaw into who he is today, with the lessons he learned from his father and most important mentor, Casey, showing him the way towards his own basketball career.
Originally born in Rome, Italy, where his father was playing professionally, Shaw's basketball career took off during his junior year of high school, when his father took over as head coach, at Davidson Academy in Nashville, Tenn. His grandfather, the legendary Valparaiso head men's basketball coach Homer Drew, assisted the team, and Shaw got to play alongside his brother, Caleb.
"My father got to coach me and my younger brother, Caleb, in high school," Shaw stated. "It was the greatest year of basketball I've ever played on the court and off the court it was the most fun I ever had."
However, soon after that season, Shaw's uncle, Bryce Drew, got hired as Grand Canyon's head men's basketball coach, and asked if Casey would come along with him to be an assistant coach. As a result, Shaw moved out to Arizona to finish his high school career at Phoenix Academy.
Early into his senior year in Phoenix, his uncle began recruiting Shaw to play at GCU, where he ultimately committed and spent three seasons.
"I knew going into that situation there was a different dynamic, with my uncle being the head coach and my dad being the assistant," Shaw stated. "My time at GCU was amazing. We won three championships and made the NCAA tournament twice. It's not gonna be all butterflies and rainbows playing for your family. But the reward, you can't compare it to the downs you go through."
Shaw redshirted his first season and then suffered a season-ending knee injury seven games into his second season. Shaw then saw action in 32 games during GCU's 30-win season in 2023-24 before he looked to take his talents elsewhere.
"I wanted to take a bet on myself," Shaw mentioned. "I wanted a little bit of a bigger role, so I transferred to Valpo."
Shaw transferred to Valparaiso where his family has a deep history. His grandfather, Homer, coached the Crusaders for 22 years and led Valpo to seven trips to the NCAA Tournament, none more memorable than in 1998 when the Crusaders made a Cinderella run to the Sweet Sixteen. On that team was his uncle, Bryce, whose famous game-winning buzzer beater for Valpo upset Ole Miss.
"There was a legacy there," Shaw laughed. "My uncle is in every picture. He's in every hallway and his jersey is up in the rafters."
Both Bryce and his brother – and Shaw's uncle – Scott also had head coaching stints at Valpo. While Bryce is now at GCU, Scott has served as head men's basketball coach at Baylor since 2003 and led the Bears to their first-ever national championship in 2021.
Shaw's time at Valparaiso was short-lived, as he appeared in 33 games during the 2024-25 season. He chose to enter the transfer portal again after just one season, and ultimately landed back home in Arizona to play for NAU.
"Going there I had high hopes, but I also put a lot of pressure on myself to perform and I think it hurt me a lot," Shaw said. "I was ready to come back home which is why I'm here at Northern Arizona now."
Heading into the new season, Shaw plans to go about it with a different mindset, one without pressure on himself. Shaw is also bringing a veteran presence to a new NAU team where he is one of 11 newcomers, including two other Division I transfers who were on NCAA Tournament teams a year ago.
"When you combine winning-caliber players who know what winning looks like, and you combine them with culture guys that have been a part of the program, I really think we can make some noise in the Big Sky this year," Shaw said.
NAU head men's basketball coach
Shane Burcar also has high hopes for the leader that Shaw can be.
"
Isaiah Shaw wants to come in here and help lead," Burcar stated. "He's here to help people and be a mentor to the younger guys on the team."
As the month of October looms on the Lumberjacks and fans are excited for the upcoming basketball season, Shaw is no exception. And at the end of the day, everything stems back to his family where it all started.
"I'm so blessed and thankful God has given me basketball and the family I have."
