It's just about impossible not to compare Andre Drummond to Ben Wallace.
Drummond has emerged as one of the most dominant offensive rebounders in the NBA while wearing the same Detroit Pistons jersey Wallace did when he held a similar title.
Wallace was recently inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame and commented on Drummond.
“I expect a lot of great things from this team,” Wallace said. “We know we’ve got a young team that’s growing and learning on the fly. But they are going to have an opportunity to grow up and become young men together on the court. That’s what we did as Pistons when we won the championship, and I think the same of them.”
Wallace is definitely right that his team that eventually grew together to win the 2004 NBA title was at one point a young and inexperienced group as well.
Ultimately, Wallace and the Pistons went on a run of six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances.
“That kid has got an unbelievable amount of talent,” said Wallace, a four-time NBA All-Star. “He’s young, he’s hungry, and he’s got talent. Now he’s just got to go out there night in and night out and find that comfort zone and wreak havoc on the floor.”
Drummond averaged 16.2 points and an NBA-best 14.8 rebounds per game last season as he helped lead the Pistons into the postseason where they were ousted in the first round by the eventual champion Cleveland Cavaliers. It was a promising season that Drummond and his teammates can certainly build upon.
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