Detroit Pistons v Washington Wizards The NBA is full of talent, personality and suspense. During the offseason, It’s easy to forget how wonderful the league can be. So, I’ve assembled 67 Reasons I’m Excited For Next Season (67RIEFNS). They’ll be presented in no particular order.
For the first time since 2001, no center on the All-NBA first, second or third team was younger than 28. I’m not suggesting Joakim Noah (29), Dwight Howard (28) and Al Jefferson (29) are over the hill, but there is a clock on their reign.
Soon enough, another center will burst into national prominence.
How about about Andre Drummond?
Drummond is one of the NBA’s most-talented young players. He has ideal height and width, and he’s incredibly athletic for his size. He’s already the NBA’s best offensive rebounder and a great finisher at the rim.
But he can become so much more. His post moves are robotic, defensive rotations too often slow.
That’s where Stan Van Gundy comes in.
Detroit’s new coach helped mold Howard into the NBA’s premier pivot, and Drummond has the same type of upside.
In his role as Pistons president, Van Gundy added a few quality shooters this offseason. Jodie Meeks, Caron Butler, D.J. Augustin and Cartier Martin aren’t even sure-fire starters, but all four stretch the court. Whenever they’re on the court, offense will come easier for Drummond that it did last year, when the Pistons’ offense involved several players crashing the paint.
Defensively, Drummond needs more help from Van Gundy the coach. All the tools are there, but Drummond must more quickly recognize when and where to rotate. A little seasoning with experience should help, and I expect Van Gundy to only accelerate the process.
Drummond is just 21, and he’s already near an All-Star level. His future is bright. Van Gundy could make it even brighter.
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- andrewwiggins22 - Oct 27, 2014 at 5:06 PM
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Most Improved Player candidate this season…
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- unfrozencavemanlawyer2 - Oct 27, 2014 at 6:02 PM
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I like Drummond a lot. He’s going to figure it out and be beastly. Not sure, however, how much VanGundy helped Dwight Howard. Howard still doesn’t really know how to post up and has no “go to” move. Howard is still unrefined. That could be because Howard is a dolt (very likely). But not sure what great makeover Van Gundy did on Howards game.
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- bkbell3 - Oct 27, 2014 at 9:06 PM
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As a center like howard, if you don’t have a jump shot you are not going to be special in the post. Howard’s only moves are to roll right or roll left and shoot a baby hook shot. No face up jump shot, no turn around jump shot limits what you can do in the post to jump hooks and flip shots and power dunks. It is laughable for him to pay hakeem 50-100 thousand dollars to work with him when he has no jump shot. Hakeem’s game was built around a face up jumper and pump fakes off that and a drop step to a turn around jumper and fakes off that move. But howard averaging 18 and 13 and shooting a high % is still very good combined with his defense. He is a dolt but over criticized because he likes to smile and have fun off the court. Alot of guys can scowl and be mean and nasty and can’t come close to his numbers. koby is my guy but he was stupid and arrogant about howard who put up good numbers coming off back surgery and a shoulder problem and stupid coaching.
