![]() So far this season, that conversation has produced nothing but insults and challenges between two young big men who have an inside track to Eastern Conference All-Star honors in February. It is impossible to applaud their respective returns to relevance enough … unless each is talking about the other. He has also become a prime-time playmaker, averaging the fifth-most assists (3.9 per game) among all NBA centers. Meanwhile, his free throw shooting has turned heads, making an absurd jump up to 63.9 percent (entering Friday night). Already a prolific rebounder, Drummond is averaging a career-best 15.2 boards per contest. The sixth-year center has improved the worst parts of his game (free throw shooting, passing) while maintaining the best. His fit in the modern game was under scrutiny. He found himself unable to remain on the floor during crunch time given his league-worst 38.6-percent mark from the free throw line. In today’s NBA, which punishes teams that lack versatile scoring everywhere on the floor, that type of one-dimensional big man is nearly extinct.ĭrummond appeared in danger of that evolution, especially after the Piston’s underwhelming performance last season. He is a traditional center, one who enjoys blocking shots on one end and dunking on the other. He does not shoot 3-pointers, nor does he like to dribble beyond one power move that takes him directly to the rim. Unlike Embiid, Drummond is not a revolutionary specimen of versatility. He has missed just three games total over the last four seasons. Detroit fans were able to see him immediately after he was drafted ninth overall in 2012. The Pistons big man is Embiid’s opposite in nearly every way. He has used both fronts to wage war on another Eastern Conference big man who is surging into relevancy: Andre Drummond. He is an avid trash-talker, both during games and via social media. The Cameroon-born big man is averaging 22.9 pionts, 11.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per contest, numbers equaled or bettered only by New Orleans twin towers Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.Įmbiid’s success might only be matched by his confidence, which already knew no bounds when he was sidelined for nearly three seasons. So far this season, he has been worth every second of the wait. Sixers fans were implored to “Trust the Process,” a mantra Embiid embraced to point of assuming it as his pseudo-nickname. Entering the fourth and final year of his rookie contract, the seven-foot center had played in just 31 out of a possible 246 career games. More injuries piled up before he even made his NBA debut. ![]() The former was a victim of bad health, the other a casualty of the pace-and-space era.Įmbiid was drafted third overall in 2014, and he only dropped that low because of a stress fracture in his back and a broken right foot. ![]() And being on his team now, it’s very, very fun just seeing him every day and seeing his day-to-day and seeing how much of a great guy and helluva player he is and a great teammate.It’s hard to think of two big men who entered the season saddled with more questions marks than Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond. I think that’s kind of why he respected, I would say respected, my game because I just wouldn’t back down from him regardless of how well he played. I’m gonna keep playing regardless of how well he’s playing. He’s not just gonna have a free night against me. You can bust my (expletive), I’m gonna keep coming. Like he would kill every big in the NBA and they would, you know, go under in a shell like I didn’t give a (expletive). And the reason why that is is because I never backed down, so people thought it was beef. Playing against Joel, there never was, we’ve never any real beef, and I think people really misunderstood that. ![]() I like talking (expletive) to the crowd despite obviously (the Sixers) always having an upper hand against us when we played you guys. What was the fan experience like when you were an opponent compared to what it’s like now? Especially with the whole “beef” you had Jo? Andre Drummond: Being an opponent here in Philly, I always loved playing here because I always played to the crowd. ![]()
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