6. Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
7’0” 280 lbs, 22-years-old
2014-2015 Stats: 13.8 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 0.7 apg, 0.9 spg, 1.9 bpg, 51% FG, 39% FT, 21.4 PER
The Detroit Pistons are hedging their bets on Andre Drummond and it appears it will be a wise move. There are several factors to why he is a rising star and with Stan Van Gundy reshaping the team around him, he appears to already be a building block. With the Pistons building their roster similar to Van Gundy’s old teams in Detroit, Drummond is the key to any success they will see.
Surrounded by shooters and decent talent, he is in a situation where he is the alpha dog. Gone is Greg Monroe, and Drummond steps up into the spotlight. He is a rebounding machine and finished second in total rebound percentage in the league last season at 24.0. He was also second in the NBA in rebounds per game with 13.5 per contest, and is becoming a force in the paint.
The strides he has made working with Team USA factor greatly into his improvements on the offense side of the ball. He has always been a great defender and athlete, but now with his offensive game progressing he could turn into the most well-rounded center in the NBA.
His offensive game still could use some improvement. He took an astounding 97 percent of his shot attempts from within 10 feet. He could work on developing on a mid-range jumper…and of his course his free throw shooting needs a ton of work. But he has started to showcase a variety of post moves.
He did all that damage against one the most supposed elite interior defenders in Roy Hibbert. He has taken major strides since his rookie season and has become a rising star. The fact that he already is a cornerstone of a franchise, it appears as if he will become a star in no time. If Stan Van Gundy can transform him into his new Dwight Howard, Drummond will become an elite big man for many years to come.
Next: N0. 5