Breaking Down Andre Drummond's Skill Set

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Andre Drummond, the freshman center for the Connecticut Huskies, has had a rather topsy-turvy season.

Being one of the most athletic and talented players in the league, Drummond has received criticism for being inconsistent in his play and is clearly a work in progress.

Multiple NBA teams have expressed interest in Drummond, and most would love to draft him high, citing his potential as serious enough to elicit a top five draft pick. Then again, Drummond may not even be ready for the NBA. Multiple sources are reporting that he is leaning towards staying for a second season to better himself as a player. 

Passing

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Key Statistic: 0.5 assists per game

Analysis: Obviously, Andre Drummond’s main focus as a center is not to pass the ball. This is clearly reflected in his assists per game statistic.

That said, Drummond is not necessarily lacking in this aspect of his game. For someone not wholly responsible for this feature, Drummond does show some nice pass attempts and is willing to give the ball away if he is not in position to make a shot.

When he does go for a pass, it will usually be a quick drop off to a teammate by his side and by the basket. However, he can also use his great vision to his advantage and find a teammate charging up towards the basket.

Rebounding

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Key Statistic: 7.5 rebounds per game

Analysis: Standing at 6’11’’ and weighing 275 lbs, Andre Drummond is a naturally built rebounder. His reach extends over nine feet and has a wingspan of 7’5’’. It seems as though with those facts Drummond would come away with a loose ball whenever he wanted to.

Yet, it also seems as though he is not quite living up to his size. He has received criticism for his lack of aggressiveness and assertiveness when it comes to going for rebounds. He is not seen as a powerhouse in the paint who can push away opponents.

On the plus side, it is not as though Drummond is incapable of using his size. He is often seen pairing it with his athleticism to jump for the missed shot and an excellent motor, which helps him grab the balls escaping quickly.

It is obvious that this is one aspect of his game that is going to get better as his experience increases. In addition, he has remained rather consistent throughout the season when it comes to rebounding.

Defense

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Key Statistic: 2.5 blocks per game

Analysis: Speaking of utilizing physical traits, when it comes to pinpointing one great facet of Andre Drummond’s defensive game, it would have to be his shot-blocking ability. He pairs his length with his leaping ability and consistently finds himself in place to make the block.

His size also lends him the ability to be a very overpowering defender. His explosiveness can cause other teams to take bad shots, and he has the talent to alter opponents' shots and shut down strong post play.

As for his defensive downside, he sometimes doubts himself on certain plays and can play off his man, causing easy points. He could also work on being more consistent on his defense in the paint by holding his ground a little more.

Ball Handling

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Key Statistic: 1.8 turnovers per game

Analysis: Andre Drummond is a skilled ball-handler who is able to combine his motor with his dribbling ability.

For a man his size, he shows very good lateral quickness, but that does not necessarily mean that he can blow past defenders—smaller players can keep up with him and apply enough pressure to allow slower defenders to catch up.

He was known before the season as being a protector of the ball, but in some games this year, he has not proven this. He has posted eight turnovers in his last three games.

Scoring

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Key Statistics: 9.9 points per game, 35 percent free-throw success

Analysis: Andre Drummond is a fairly consistent shooter when it comes to playing in the paint and playing with his set of post skills (which are still a work in progress).

On top of that, Drummond can hit open jump shots with ease, sinking a very respectable 53.7 percent of his field goals.

The criticism towards his scoring ability comes from his inconsistency in two ways.

First, one might notice that he settles for perimeter shots when he has the ability to muscle his way up to the basket. This is not a promising trend for Drummond, who loses his accuracy the closer to the arc that he gets.

Second, although he is very capable of putting up huge numbers, Drummond has been the most unreliable in his points per game. Against Georgetown, Drummond put up 18 points, but two games later, he posted a zero-point showing against Louisville.

This is what a lot of NBA teams have noticed, but they also recognize that he has incredible potential to become a high-scoring player.

As a side note, he needs to work on his free-throw shooting and stop leaving points off the board. 

Intangibles

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Key Fact: He is thinking of staying at Connecticut for a second year of development.

Analysis: Andre Drummond has been highly touted for his distinguished basketball IQ. He knows how to play his position very well and even brings a few other aspects from other positions into his own game.

His energy at points can seem a bit low for someone with his power, but that is something that he is going to have to work on.

Some analysts have argued that he has too much flash when he has the ball, but he does not come across as having an exuberant amount of attitude at all times. Kemba Walker said of Drummond, “[he is] a good listener… [and] doesn’t know what he’s got" (via NBC Connecticut).

Even though his inconsistency has been widely discussed, he is a player that looks to get better through practice and experience.

His coach Jim Calhoun has recognized him as a player who, even though basketball comes easy to him, is not lazy in practice.