How good is Andre Drummond? It’s a puzzling question. He’s probably the best rebounder in the NBA, but he struggled to score efficiently last season and is an abysmal free throw shooter. His defense, despite what some metrics say, is poor. Detroit Pistons Head Coach Stan Van Gundy wants Drummond to take a step (or several steps) forward on the defensive end. From Keith Langlois of Pistons.com:
“That’s going to be a big part of it with him this year,” Van Gundy said. “To really get him to focus on the things that he does at not even a high level – at an elite level, and doing those well. So many times guys think the way to becoming great is to be able to do more and more things. In a lot of cases, it’s more doing the things that you already do at a higher level.”
…
“The step, to me, for Andre is to do a little bit of what DeAndre Jordan does and dominate the game at the defensive end of the floor. Become that All-Defense type of guy. Because he’s already a historically great rebounder and to add to that becoming a great defender and build his game from there and everything to be built around the basket – his pick and rolls, going to the rim, running the floor, all of that.”
Drummond has lost 20 pounds over the off-season, Van Gundy said, and that in addition to surgery he had to repair a nasal blockage should give him significantly greater endurance and enable more of the 20-20 blockbuster performances.
“He’s worked hard this summer to get himself in better shape and be able to play with more energy for longer periods of time. I think that’s the biggest step he could take this summer beyond any skill thing.”
When it comes to playing consistent defense, endurance is paramount. If Drummond can get in the best shape of his life, he could indeed be DJ-esque on the defensive end; he certainly has the physical tools.
