Andre Drummond
Patience is key with big men. He's slowly, but surely, is starting to put it all together and be a good player for the Huskies. He will only get better as the season goes a long. You won't see those 20-10 numbers people were hoping for but he could be a solid double-double machine come march madness and give teams a whole lot of problems. Offensively, he's still figuring his role with the team as Lamb and Napier do a bulk of the scoring. But his defense has been solid and his shot blocking has been tremendous! If he's still averaging 8-7 through 15 games in the season, then I'd start to worry a little bit lol.
hmm lets see...
He has much better footwork than Jordan
He's a better passer than Jordan
Has better fundamentals than Jordan
Even though he's getting over a broken nose while wearing an uncomfortable facemask and is playing in the big east he has so far been more productive than Jordan was as a freshman; 8.1 PPG, 7 RPG, 2.9 BPG and 0.9 SPG and he's improving by the game.
I asked if thats impressive. Do those numbers impress you? He is supposed to be the number one pick. And 2 double doubles, one coming against Maine is impressive.
Also threw Jordans first 7 games he was averaging 9.1 ppg 7.6 rebs 1.2 blks and was 85% from the feild.
He's the best center prospect since Greg Oden, but I don't think he's as good of a prospect as Oden was either. I, personally, wouldn't take him #1, but his potential is too great for him to drop past 4 or 5, IMO.
This is a long season, he may be beasting it by March, but I haven't been impressed too much thus far. At least on the offensive end. I see him more of a defensive prospect at this point. I don't disagree with Jordan, robertfreeman, Jordan would have been drafted higher and gotten more minutes earlier if he had a better work ethic and more maturity, which Drummond appears to have. He seems to me as a guy who will take 2 or 3 seasons before he does a whole lot outside of shot blocking, rebounding and fouling.
@Joe You're right he is the best center prospect since Oden. I think people thought I was bashing him I just don't think he has been impressive yet or is a Dwight, Amar'e type player, it's not his style. Also I remember Jordan was projected as the number one pick on here for a while but dropped becuase his development seemed to hit the wall mid way through, but at the time they had him compared to Dwight.
Yeah, I hear you, he hasn't been that impressive. There have been plenty of dudes that were great physical specimens that were not the next greatest superstar, but a lot of them have had long careers after finding a nitch.
It's way to early to close the door on Drummond's offense, but I hear you, we don't have to put him in that Howard/Amare category because his name is Andre Drummond. I like Jordan as a comparison, per 36 minutes he was a 10 point 11 rebound 3 block type player which isn't a bash at all.
Andre Drummond
8.1 PPG, 7 RPG, 2.9 BPG 0.9 SPG 51%FG
Olajuwon
Freshman Year：8.3PPG 6.2RPG 2.48BPG 61% FG
David Robinson
Freshman Year：7.6PPG 4.0RPG 1.32BPG 62%FG
Duncan
Freshman Year：9.8PPG 9.76RPG 3.6BPG 55%FG
Mutombo
Freshman Year：3.9PPG 3.3RPG 2.27BPG 41%FG
come on, Drummond's still learning how to play ，give this kid more time
Andre Drummond
8.1 PPG, 7 RPG, 2.9 BPG 0.9 SPG 51%FG
Olajuwon
Freshman Year：8.3PPG 6.2RPG 2.48BPG 61% FG
David Robinson
Freshman Year：7.6PPG 4.0RPG 1.32BPG 62%FG
Duncan
Freshman Year：9.8PPG 9.76RPG 3.6BPG 55%FG
Mutombo
Freshman Year：3.9PPG 3.3RPG 2.27BPG 41%FG
come on, Drummond's still learning how to play ，give this kid more time
@robertfreeman; I daresay in this day and age they might have been more highly touted. The scouting of high school players has exploded to the point where under the radar players are a rarity. If Duncan, Mutombo or Robinson were in HS this year they'd be getting hyped like crazy; look how little it took for people to go nuts over Biyombo.
You are probably right they wouldv'e been more highly recruited but Duncans game and the fact he was from the Virgin Islands wouldn't help. Mutumbo hadn't played at all he was at college when John Thompson asked him to play. Robinson was supposedly 6'9.
Also to be fair its not like they didn't know how to scout they got some right and wrong and it still happens like that today. Also they became the players they were in the pros after 4 years of developing and getting stronger in college.
The difference is those guys got drafted on the players they were after 3-4 years in college. Drummond is one-and-done so an NBA team has to hope he can develop into his potential and not turn into a bust.
Would Duncan have gone #1 after his first year of College? No. So why should Drummond?
Give him time. He is still adujusting to the college game, he is not getting the ball and not getting the mintues also due to gettign into foul trouble. Already just turned 18 and he is blocking and offensive rebounding is crazy. He is still growing and talk that he will grow around 7'0". He is the best prospect since Lebron.
disappoint with him, i don't know if it only lack of experience, he remind me too much JaVale McGee as we know has rare combination of skills, size and athleticisim but will never be a winning player for lack of brain, matureness and understanding to put it all together...
You really do have to give him, and other draft prospects, some time. Some players get off to fast starts pre-conference, against weaker competition and than kind of hit a wall as the season progresses. Meanwhile, with some players, they take a while to get used to their role and than progress a great deal as the season goes on. I think Andre Drummond is a second category player.
He is not Harrison Barnes, but his situation is somewhat similar. Barnes started off slowly, but as North Carolina switched PG's and gave Kendall Marshall more of a role as a distributor, than he eventually flourished. If you look at UCONN right now, all of their big guys are struggling. They have scoring guards who do not seem tremendously interested in establishing the post at this point in the season. Through Big East play, this should change.
One thing I noticed about DeAndre Jordan is, he did not have a double double and 7 blocks against a solid 26 year old NBA prospect Center in his fifth game. Andre Drummond did against Bernard James. Drummond is much stronger and more athletic than Jordan was at the same stage. That is what makes him so intriguing. He clearly is more of a work in progress than many pundits might have thought, but most centers are.
I believe that Drummond is going to be groomed as a Center and that he can handle it. He is just an incredibly rare combination of things and I have a feeling that he will progress into a pretty awesome player. I have a feeling that by March, the Drummond overreactions will kind of be like the Barnes overreactions were last season. He just has a very rare combination of attributes and talent, I do not think we have seen close to his best thus far (remind you of anybody?).
Has anyone been impressed with him yet? I haven't seen the Stoudemire or Howard comparisons honestly I see DeAndre Jordan. If anyone has the UCONN game today on TV please keep us posted on his game.