Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond, the No. 9 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, has as much potential as anyone in his class. He has Dwight Howard-type athleticism at 6-11 and 280 pounds. He fell to the ninth spot, though, for a reason: Drummond has a lot to learn about the mental and technical aspects of the game.
At Summer League in Orlando, the Pistons are finding out quickly just how steep his learning curve will be, via ESPN's Brian Windhorst.
The Pistons have been a bit surprised at how little Drummond actually knows about high-level basketball. If he was taught much about it at UConn, it didn't stick. They are having to go very slowly with him over certain basic concepts, especially as it pertains to managing a pick-and-roll.
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"There's new terminology. I haven't heard some of these words before," Drummond said. "I ask a lot of questions. This whole summer league is a big learning experience for me as I move into training camp. I overthink sometimes and try to do it all."
As he's learning, Drummond is showing flashes of his potential with some highlight blocks and dunks. Overall, he was a bright spot in Wednesday's blowout loss to the Thunder, a game during which Detroit head coach Lawrence Frank made his way from the stands to the bench to give Drummond some one-on-one coaching.
Drummond is averaging 7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3 steals and 3.3 blocks in three Summer League games. His development will be one of the main storylines for the Pistons this coming season.
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