The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled at times to find the right supporting cast for LeBron James in recent seasons. Part of that may be due to the inherent pressure of playing for the organization.
Andre Drummond shed some light on that pressure in a recent interview. Drummond was brought in by the Lakers on the buyout market in 2021, but he struggled to adapt and did not even play when the team was eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the first round of the playoffs. Perhaps reflecting on that experience, Drummond admitted that playing for the Lakers is unlike playing anywhere else.
“The Lakers is is exactly what you think it is. You got to be built differently to play for that organization,” Drummond admitted. “You got to be mentally strong, not even just on the court, but off the court, too. There’s so much expectation of being a Laker and putting that purple and gold on, because if you don’t meet that expectation they will let you know you’re not worthy enough to wear that jersey. You got to play to the best of your ability and play hard each and every night, regardless of win, lose, or draw. You’ve got to just play hard, and that’s what they respect.”
Drummond wasn’t really a standout player in his brief stint with the Lakers. By his own admission, he had to take on a more complementary role than he was used to. Ultimately, he never seemed to fit in well with the team, which helped lead to the ambivalence he seemed to experience from some of the team’s fans.
Drummond averaged 11.9 points and 10.2 rebounds for the Lakers in 21 games. He spent last season with the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, and is poised to hit the open market again this summer.
More must-reads: