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Big Man Andre Drummond Adjusting to His New Surroundings
by Joe Gabriele (@CavsJoeG)
2/27/20 | Cavs.com
The basketball fan in us probably expected Andre Drummond to put up monster Andre Drummond numbers up starting from the opening quarter of his February 9 debut against the Clippers.
After all, we’d seen it up close and personal so, so many times. In a home-and-home series just last month against the Pistons, Drummond averaged 25.5 points and 21.5 rebounds. In 35 career games against the Wine and Gold, Drummond posted 22 double-doubles and five games of at least 20 points and 20 boards.
We could do Andre Drummond stats all day, and it reads like a game notes greatest hits.
But it’s no secret that it’s been an adjustment period with the Cavaliers through his first five games. His numbers for mere mortals – 12.8 points per game, 10.6 rebounds – would be sufficient. But we’ve seen what Drummond can do, and the All-Star big man knows there’s more in store.
Drummond’s production might still need to be jumpstarted, but the squad has been impressive since his arrival – winning four of six as they head into a tough weekend back-to-back against New Orleans and Indiana.
Before the Cavaliers left town, Drummond sat down with Cavs.com to talk about his first couple weeks with his new club …
The 26-year-old Drummond has led the league in rebounding in two of the last three seasons and is on pace to do so again this year.
Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images
It’s been a couple weeks. How has the transition been so far?
Andre Drummond: The transition's been pretty good. I'm enjoying myself and I'm definitely happy to be in a place where they want me to be.
Getting adjusted to the guys has been a challenge, but I'm starting to figure it out little by little.
My production really hasn't been there, so I'm still trying to figure things out. But I think with time, I'll be just fine and playing the way I normally play.
Did you kind of expect an adjustment period?
Drummond: I've never been in this situation, so I didn't know what to expect when I got here. I didn't know how long it would take me to get adjusted. And obviously, it's been a couple of games now and I'm still trying to get into the flow of things.
But I'm taking the time to really learn everybody and figure things out. I think I'll be fine.
Did your presence throw off the Cavs young guards early on?
Drummond: Yeah, I think I think that's probably the biggest thing right now, having three young guards that are basically rookies, having to adjust their games, which they’re still learning for themselves.
So for me, it's just trying to get them adjusted to learning what it's like to play with different bigs. Me, Kevin, Tristan, Larry – trying to teach them different things on how to handle different pick-and-rolls, how to come off, what kind of passes they need to make.
But it's been a fun process and obviously, we're getting better as we go.
What’s your relationship been like with the team’s other big men?
Drummond: I mean, I immediately got attached to those guys. Obviously, they play in the same position as me, so the camaraderie was already there.
"I think it's starting to get a lot better for us. Guys are starting to have a lot more fun and the culture starting to build here, too. We have a lot to look forward to."
Cavaliers center Andre Drummond
Kevin and I had a relationship, Tristan and I had a relationship. Larry and I, we've met each other and been around each other in passing, but just being here, it didn't take very long for me to start liking him.
I've been having a lot of fun since I've been here. We've been winning, which is really cool for the guys here that haven't won at home since Christmas. Now we've won four of five. So, I think it's starting to get a lot better for us. Guys are starting to have a lot more fun and the culture starting to build here, too. We have a lot to look forward to.
How good can that group be?
Drummond: It's a Championship level frontcourt, if you want to be honest. I think once we figure it out, I think it's gonna be really scary for people.
After some major struggles from the free throw line early in your career, you raised your shooting percentage over 200 points the last three. Why the big change?
Drummond: I just went back to my roots. I went back and started working out on with my high school trainer – my high school and college trainer, Don Levine. We just kind of found that switch and got me back to shooting comfortably again and getting out of that headspace where I can't shoot.
I think 98 percent of it was mental. Almost none of it was form. I've been shooting my whole life. I've never had a problem of shooting (at the line) until right around when I got to college and NBA because a lot of people were trying to change my shot, the way I shoot things.
And as a young guy hearing so many things so many times, you get nervous when you get to the free throw line. You're thinking: this guy told me this, this guy told me that. And then, over time, it just became impossible to focus.
And for me, I remember everything vividly. So I'm trying to incorporate all those voices, and it wasn't a good result.
So, a couple of years went by and I got tired of it, I got tired of being known as a bad free throw shooter.
And I just snapped out of it decided to go back to where it all started. So I just started working on my own, working with my coach again. And I got more comfortable and I found my stroke.
Off the court, you’re a Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics. How did that get started?
Drummond: That's my passion.
I was asked to coach the basketball game for the Special Olympics during All-Star Weekend during my rookie year. And after the game, I fell in love with it. And I told my agency that I want to do it again the next All-Star Weekend.
That first year, I was hurt and wasn't able to participate in certain events, so they really just threw me into this. I knew nothing about the Special Olympics. But after I did it, I fell in love with the kids, I fell in love with the organization. I fell in love with what they represent.
So I went and coached again and I won the Rising Star MVP that same year. And I was like, man, I want to do it again next year! And after my fourth year, I got a phone call saying: 'Hey, we see that you really enjoy working with the Special Olympics. We would love to name you our Global Ambassador and start giving you more things to do and some different branches to work with.’
So, ever since then, I've worked with the kids, mostly in Detroit. They got to the championship game, which was really huge. They gave me a trophy! That was a great moment for me.
So right now, I'm trying to look for some organizations here in Cleveland and start working with the kids here.
What are your goals over these last 24 games?
Drummond: My goal here, and like I told these guys, is to not look at the record right now. My goal is to see how much better we can get each and every game, every day we show up to practice.
And it's obvious that we have, based on how much better we've gotten these last few games.
I think the best thing we can do is stay positive and work on the things we need to work on to get ourselves ready for next year.
For us, it's about being consistent and playing hard every night, paying attention to our scouting report and our game plan and just having fun while we're out there.
We're playing loose and playing less like 'I' and more like 'we.' And that's one of the biggest things since I've got here.
Even though you haven’t put up your kind of big numbers, do you think the team has a different confidence just having you on their side?
Drummond: I think so. Like I said when I got here, I'm not here to take anybody's shine, I'm not here to take anybody's light. I'm just here as a presence to help everybody grow, and I think I've done that in the short time I've been here – trying to preach positivity, preach hard work and being a professional.
Any level of frustration?
Drummond: You know, for me, I've played for a long time and I've been in this situation before. My first three years in Detroit, I was playing 22 minutes a night and I wasn't getting as many shots. But I figured it out, and I'll always figure it out.
For me, I try not to get too frustrated just based on things like not getting the ball or not playing a lot of minutes. Right now, we're winning games – and we're having fun doing it. That's my biggest thing right now.