I hammered Andre Drummond’s draft prospects. Physically he was incredibly gifted. But we’ve seen so many talented athletic big men flame out because of the mental game, and that part was of massive concern. Not just from media, but scouts, draft experts, the works. He was worth the risk for the right team. But none of the teams really seemed to be in a position to make that gamble, not even Detroit. It wasn’t that I thought Drummond would bust out, that he was worthless. It was that the concerns with him outweighted the chances of production, short and long-term.
It’s preseason. That’s what I keep telling myself. Over and over again. Because in preseason, Drummond has looked fantastic. Observe:
Greg Monroe has said this week that mentally he has a long way to go. And defensive rotations are going to be pivotal for Detroit, because they’re not loaded with offensive weapons. But his timing has been good, his ball-handling has been good, his tenacity has been good, and most notably, his focus has been good.
We’re a long way from there. But for all the useless knowledge to come out of preseason, it’s worth looking at the fact that Drummond is looking much better than a lot of people, myself included, thought he would, especially this early.
