Andre Drummond’s Evolving Game Adds a New Dimension to the Sixers
In year 14 of his NBA journey, Andre Drummond is doing something few big men have managed this late in their careers - he's stretching the floor with confidence. The veteran center, long known for his dominance in the paint and on the glass, has added a legitimate 3-point shot to his arsenal. And it’s not just a gimmick - it’s working.
Drummond is currently averaging 1.4 three-point attempts per game and hitting them at a remarkable 41.2% clip. For context, this is a player whose early-career shot chart was almost exclusively blue in the paint. Now, he’s stepping out beyond the arc and knocking down shots like a seasoned stretch five.
Friday night against the Knicks, Drummond drilled three triples - a career-high - in Philadelphia’s 116-107 win at Madison Square Garden. It wasn’t just a heat-check moment or a fluke. These were in-rhythm shots, taken with confidence, and they mattered in the flow of the game.
“My team believes in me,” Drummond said after the win. “I take the shot, and I shoot it - something I shoot every day in practice.
I shoot hundreds and thousands of them every day. I shot it with confidence, and they went in.”
That belief, both from himself and his teammates, is paying off. And it’s not just about the numbers - it’s about the impact.
Drummond has long been one of the league’s most consistent rebounders and a reliable interior presence off the bench. But this version of him - one who can space the floor and force defenses to step out - gives the Sixers a new wrinkle in their rotation.
He’s not trying to be someone he’s not. Drummond’s bread and butter is still his physicality, his rebounding, and his ability to anchor the second unit.
But this added range? It’s a bonus - and a valuable one.
As Philadelphia continues to build momentum, Drummond’s development could quietly become one of the team’s underrated storylines. With Joel Embiid carrying the starting center role and Drummond anchoring the bench minutes, the Sixers have a reliable one-two punch at the five. And now, Drummond is showing he can adapt to today’s pace-and-space game without losing what made him effective in the first place.
"It's definitely satisfying," Drummond said. "Seeing the work that I've put in over the years start to come to fruition the past couple games."
That satisfaction is well-earned. Not many players reinvent themselves this deep into their careers. But Drummond’s doing it - and he’s making it look like part of the plan all along.