The Detroit Pistons summer league team is starting to prepare for the Orlando Summer League which tips off on Monday when they play the Utah Jazz summer league team at 3:00 p.m. ET. First-round draft pick Andre Drummond is now with the team ready to begin his professional career at the young age of 18 (Drummond turns 19 on August 10th).
Though he may be young, Drummond already sounds like he understands the NBA is a business and he's ready to get to work. But he won't forget where he came from, which is the small Connecticut town of Middletown. Drummond is big time in his small hometown, so the locals gave him a big send off with a going-away cook-out on Wednesday before the rookie big man hits the bright lights of the big city.
The transition from a small town in Middletown, to the professional stage could seem overwhelming to the majority of athletes. Drummond not only disagrees with that mentality that living in a small area is a detriment, but actually finds it to be an advantage to his personal growth. "Growing up in Middletown has really humbled me as a person," Drummond said. "Going to Detroit is another step and a new home for me, so I'm only there for business. I'm not there to go site seeing, I'm there to be a great basketball player and be a Detroit Piston."
For more on the Pistons, head over to Detroit Bad Boys. For more NBA news and analysis, check out SB Nation's NBA hub.