The Detroit Pistons have been part of plenty of rumors revolving around center Andre Drummond after under-performing last season and failing to show the fruits that the organization expected to reap from his production.
Coming into training camp, it's been a completely different story. As head coach Stan Van Gundy, one of his harshest critics, noted the vast difference he's seen in him coming into the facility.
“His focus has been tremendous,” Van Gundy told reporters Wednesday, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. “I said that in front of the group, more than anybody, he’s really tried to play to his strengths and play to the things that we’ve talked about so his focus and his energy have both been outstanding.”
Drummond was an All-Star in 2015-16, finishing the year as the lone league-leader in rebounding, but is coming off a disappointing season where he averaged 13.6 points and 13.8 rebounds per game. Drummond's woes at the line have also proven to affect the rest of his game, as he shot almost three free throws less per game in efforts to avoid leaving more points at the line.
That resulted in the Connecticut product shooting only three percent better than his 2015-16 season, at a foul 38.6 percent.
The big dipper owned up to his flaws from last season earlier this summer, but emphasized his focus coming into camp.
“I wasn’t playing the way I was supposed to play and they were looking for a better option,” said Drummond in the midst of trade rumors. “But they still have faith in me and believe that I can still be on this team and get us to where we need to get that down.”
Drummond showed up trimmed down during Media Day, following a procedure to repair a deviated septum, which will allow him to breathe easier and have a more consistent conditioning regimen and better sleeping habits with hopes of him taking the next step as the cornerstone player of the team.
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