Sixers impressed with Andre Drummond putting up big rebounding numbers

CAMDEN, N.J. -- After watching the 2024-25 season, it would be fair to wonder if Philadelphia 76ers big man Andre Drummond had anything left. The big man played only 40 games due to a bothersome toe injury and he wasn't rebounding at the same rate as he normally does.

Fast forward to now, and Drummond is providing a big lift for the Sixers. He's averaging 8.3 points and 10.7 rebounds and has started in eight of the 16 games he's played in. He's averaging 13.1 rebounds of his last 10 games including a 24-rebound performance against the Miami Heat on Sunday.

When considering this is his 14th season in the league, it's impressive to see Drummond continue to put up big numbers.

"He obviously knows, like, that's a strength of his, and I think he plays to that," coach Nick Nurse said at practice on Wednesday. "Like, I think he really has some timing and just a sense and like, he really wants to go grab them. I mean, you can see him, and sometimes he'll knock down three of our own guys to get one, right? I mean, he wants that thing. I think he's figured that out for a long time, that, you know, hey, I can make a living just rebounding. I think he's still doing that, but it's just kind of who he is and how he plays, and he's doing it at a high level right now."

Drummond has earned the trust of Nurse and the staff. They let him know that he was third on the center depth chart if Joel Embiid was out there playing. He was behind Adem Bona, and he would have to earn his way to the top. With the addition of a corner 3-point shot--he's shooting 40.9% from deep on 1.4 attempts per game on the season--he has done so.

"I think that as a coaching staff, you can only evaluate the body of work you've seen," Nurse added. "I was up front with him and told him that what I saw last year wasn't going to cut it, and I think, you know, you guys obviously know I told you, Bona beat him out through training camp and all that. If Joel was playing, he was third, and he'd have to play his way out of that, and he's done that. I give him credit. I think he's worked hard."

Drummond is playing at such a high level as he took the tough 2024-25 season personally. He has put a ton of work in to make sure he is able to help out on the floor and the Sixers are benefitting from his strong performances thus far.

"He's in much better shape than he ever was last year," Nurse finished. "He's obviously, again, he's getting to more, getting to the basketball easier than he did a year ago. He goes through these stretches where he's dominant on the defensive glass that we never really saw a year ago. So he's picked it up, so he must have sensed it right, and I give him credit for that."

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers impressed with Andre Drummond putting up big rebounding numbers