How 76ers’ Andre Drummond helps ‘push’ Joel Embiid to be ‘finest middle within the league’

CAMDEN, N.J. — Andre Drummond felt comfy with the Philadelphia 76ers inside his first week on the workforce, the very starting of his first stint that started within the 2021 offseason. The embrace he bought from the town made the transition to a brand new workforce and a job as a backup immensely simpler. After being included within the midseason Ben Simmons-James Harden commerce and spending two seasons with the Chicago Bulls, he is excited to be again with the Sixers.

Drummond made an look on the Thomas H. Dudley Household College in Camden, New Jersey, becoming a member of the Sixers and 5 Beneath of their Again-to-College Tipoff occasion. Simply as thrilled as he’s to reacclimate himself to a well-known, pleasant neighborhood, he is “actually, actually blissful” for the season to start out.

“After I get up within the morning,” Drummond informed ClutchPoints, “I simply have this vitality, like, ‘We now have one thing actually particular right here and we will not let it go to waste.’”

Joel Embiid reached out to Drummond in free company to see if the veteran huge man would return to the 76ers. That meant lots to Drummond, who already considered Philly as residence. Making the reunion with Philly even sweeter was the signing of Reggie Jackson, who performed virtually a decade with Drummond on the Detroit Pistons.

Drummond returning to the 76ers provides them extra stability on the backup middle spot. His sensational rebounding, measurement and occasional playmaking make him a comparatively steady possibility off the bench. However he additionally provides the workforce somebody who will compete exhausting in opposition to Embiid in apply.

“I am taking part in in opposition to the very best middle within the league each single day, so not solely is he getting the very best work out of me, vice versa — I am getting the very best work out of him as a result of he is difficult me, as effectively,” Drummond mentioned. “And for me, he is aware of I am not gonna ever again down from him.

“And it has been like that [since] I have been in Detroit,” he continued. “I feel that is actually why he respects me, as a result of regardless of how good he’s, he may need the higher hand on me however I am gonna hold coming. I am gonna push him to be nice. I am gonna push him to be the very best participant he will be, actually to indicate the world why he’s the very best middle to play this sport.”

Drummond is aware of how a lot Embiid works on enhancing himself, a praise that new Sixer Guerschon Yabusele additionally provided. Even when his position isn’t as outstanding because it may have been on one other workforce, the surroundings and gamers on Philly’s roster is ideal for the 31-year-old huge man.

Identical to he was with a second-year Paul Reed, Drummond is slated forward of one other younger middle in Adem Bona on the depth chart. He doesn’t wish to overwhelm the rookie out of UCLA, who will get loads of enter and instruction from coaches already, so he resorts to giving him “little hints” on find out how to do sure issues higher.

“Like, if he does one thing that I discover he may change, I am like, ‘Hey, on screens, perhaps flip your physique a little bit totally different.’ Or, ‘[on a] pick-and-roll, perhaps do not go up so excessive.’ Just little issues like that,” Drummond mentioned. Whereas being a mentor is a part of why the 76ers wished to get him again, in addition they need somebody extra strong behind Embiid.

“He is simply a dominant participant, he is actually simply a tremendous hardworking man that actually needs to be nice,” Drummond mentioned of Embiid. “You cannot assist however assist a man that is making an attempt to do so a lot for a metropolis or for a workforce. I am glad I am right here to be ready to alleviate some stress for him and actually win a lot of video games.”

Andre Drummond joins Sixers for back-to-school occasion in Camden

Andre Drummond participated within the first of two Again-to-College Tipoff occasions, the second of which takes place on Thursday at a college in Philadelphia and encompasses a totally different, yet-to-be-announced Sixer. Drummond makes it a private objective to “shed some mild” on the faculties in his adopted residence cities.

“I love doing stuff like this, man,” Drummond informed ClutchPoints. “Something with college youngsters andgiving again to the neighborhood, I am at all times entrance in line for these sorts of issues. I dwell by that, man. I like to get again to the neighborhood, particularly in the cities that I play in. It simply means a lot to me ‘trigger they’re the subsequent technology.”

Drummond greeted college students, answered questions on his NBA profession and faculty — his favourite topic was English and his favourite cafeteria meals was a hen patty — and stunned two academics with reward playing cards to 5 Beneath totaling $500 every courtesy of the workforce and the shop.

“Get pleasure from being a child. Be taught one thing,” Drummond informed the scholars within the crowd. “Benefit from the expertise.”

Earlier than Drummond was launched to the gang, the 76ers’ mascot, Franklin, hosted a layup-free-throw-three-pointer event with 4 pupil contributors and pumped up the gang as Drummond arrived. The gymnasium was embellished with illustrations of the Sixers brand and footage of gamers’ jerseys. Collaborating in alternatives like these endear Drummond to the neighborhood much more — and vice versa.

“It is an wonderful feeling to be wished and appreciated for what I do, so it is an honor to be again right here,” Andre Drummond mentioned. “It is an honor to put a Sixers jersey again on and do one thing greater than me.”