Andre Drummond may have entered a journeyman phase of his NBA career, but he’s trying to enjoy the experience, writes Mike Anthony of The New Haven Register.
Drummond signed a two-year contract with the Bulls this summer that includes a $3.36M player option for the 2023/24 season. The 29-year-old center played for the Sixers and Nets last season, and Chicago will be his fifth team since 2020 after spending his first seven and a half years with the Pistons.
“It’s like a field trip,” Drummond said Saturday during a visit to Connecticut for a youth basketball program. “I’ve moved around a lot. But I just control what I can control. For me, it’s kind of fun. You’ve got to look at it as a fun journey. Being in one place eight straight years, I loved Detroit. Detroit gave me the career I have today. To see different cities and be with different organizations, I’ve taken it as a fun time, experiencing different cultures.”
Drummond is coming off a disjointed season where he had to adjust to a different role halfway through. He was comfortable as a back-up to Joel Embiid in Philadelphia, but he was sent to Brooklyn in February as part of the James Harden deal. He became the Nets’ starting center and posted 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds in 24 games despite playing just 22.3 minutes per night.
Drummond hopes to have several more years in the NBA and wants to keep playing as long as he can. The two-time All-Star has led the league in rebounding four times, and he told Anthony that he would like to be remembered as the best rebounder in the history of the league.
“I think I’m already there,” he said. “I’m on my way. By the time I retire, I’ll go down as the best rebounder ever — if not already.”
More must-reads: