If you ask Detroit Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy, the only thing lacking for his cornerstone center Andre Drummond is to add some “D” to his game — namely the D that his counterpart DeAndre Jordan has displayed since coming into the league.
“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,” Van Gundy told Keith Langlois of NBA.com. “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.”
Jordan has been among the top choices for Defensive Player of the Year the last few seasons, being not only a strong offensive rebounding machine, but an eraser at the defensive end.
Drummond has a rebounding title to his name back in 2015-16 and has finished in the top two during the past four seasons, making him one of the most effective glass-cleaners in the game.
Yet his prowess at the defensive end has taken a step back from the near two-block-a-night presence he was during the 2014-15 season, dipping as low as a mere 1.1 blocks per game last season.
The Connecticut product is already somewhat limited at the offensive end and notoriously struggles at the free-throw line, making this a priority area to further his career and potentially his value in the trade market if the Pistons choose to dangle him in the near future.
Follow Us
Subscribe