Andre Drummond , selected 9th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, quickly made a name for himself as an outstanding rebounder. Consequently, the dominant big man earned a spot in the 2014 Rising Stars Game.
During the game, 'Big Penguin' continued to showcase his impressive skills on the board. However, in doing so, it seemed like he might have gone a little too far. This was noted by Team Hill's assistant coach, Nate McMillan.
"[Andre] Drummond had in his mind that he was going to go out and play the game hard. Every rebound that came off the board, he wanted. A few of them he took from his teammates, but I liked his aggressiveness," McMillan remarked, per ESPN.
Drummond had a record-setting game
The 2014 Rising Stars Challenge brought together a mix of rookies and sophomores, led by former NBA greats Grant Hill and Chris Webber. The participants wore their regular team uniforms and numbers, adding a unique touch to the game. Particularly memorable moments were delivered by Dion Waiters (31 points) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (36 points), who engaged in a back-and-forth scoring duel. However, the standout performer of the night was undoubtedly Drummond.
The 20-year-old wasted no time making his mark, scoring an impressive 16 points and snatching 10 rebounds within the first 10 minutes of the game. Despite his usual shooting struggles, Drummond was effective in scoring, going 12-for-21 from the field and an even more uncharacteristic 6-for-8 from the charity line. This culminated in a remarkable 30 points, further sweetened by 'The Big Penguin' grabbing 25 boards, a record in Rising Stars Challenge history.
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Expectations were not fully met
After the impressive duo performance of Drummond and Waiters, they secured a victory for Team Hill with a score of 142-136. Following the game, there was a small mix-up during the MVP trophy presentation. However, the eventual winner, 'The Big Penguin,' took it in stride.
"Usually, a slipup happens every year with the trophy. So I wasn't too shocked about that" , he noted.
Andre certainly made a strong impression among his peers, leading many to predict a successful future for him in the league. Although the Mount Vernon native became a two-time All-Star, he arguably didn't fully meet those high expectations. Some critics suggested that his limited skill set hindered him from achieving even more.
However, when it comes to his primary strength—rebounding—' The Big Penguin' has only improved since his standout performance in 2014. By the end of the 2010s, the 6'11" center averaged over 15 rebounds per game for three consecutive seasons, a remarkable achievement for any big man. Now with the Philadelphia 76ers , Drummond, a 4-time rebounding champion, ranks 33rd on the NBA's all-time list for grabbing boards.
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