“I’ve put my hands on my teammates before” - Andre Drummond admitted elbowing his teammate for stealing his rebounds

Many NBA players lack the versatility to make a multifaceted impact like the elite few. Consequently, they specialize in one area to extend their career and maximize their effectiveness. Andre Drummond exemplifies this approach by taking immense pride in his dominance around the rim, particularly in rebounding; his career average of 12.4 rebounds per game is a testament to this focus.

However, Big Cat’s competitive nature to be the first player to grab the ball extends beyond opposing teams. The center isn’t afraid to get physical with his own teammates if he feels they’re taking his rebounds, emphasizing a strong commitment to dominating the boards.

Drummond on getting physical with his own teammate

Since entering the league in 2012, Drummond has established himself as a strong low-post scorer and rebounding specialist. His prowess on the board has led him to lead the league in rebounds in four seasons. Moreover, after spending his initial eight years with the Detroit Pistons, the primary reason why the 6’11” center’s trajectory as a journeyman has been successful is his ability to average rebounds in double-digits for three of the other five franchises he has played for.

Additionally, considering that his career average of 12.4 rebounds is mighty close to his career scoring tally underscores his seriousness about creating second-point opportunities for his teammates. If he finds his own teammates creating a fuss, the New York native doesn’t shy away from sending a stern message.

During his appearance on the ‘Mickstape’ podcast, the two-time All-Star revealed how he sent a clear message to an unnamed Pistons guard, warning him not to interfere with his rebounding. When verbal warning proved insufficient, he didn’t hesitate to resort to physical means to make his point.

"I've put my hands on my teammates before," Drummond said. "I just got to a point where I elbowed him in the head the next time he jumped."

Andre even provided names

While Drummond initially kept the player’s identity anonymous, he previously disclosed during an appearance on ‘Remy Workouts Roundtable’ that the guard in question was Reggie Jackson . Drummond explained how he had to put Jackson ‘in his place’ during their time together in Detroit after the 6’2” point guard persistently attempted to steal rebounds that Dre considered his domain.

"Reggie Jackson was probably the second person…. I used to do it to Brandon Jennings, but he stopped pretty quick," Drummond explained. "So he came in one day and tried to get a rebound. I elbowed him in the mouth. Well, he came back again the next game and did it again, so I hit him again. It happened two more times after that. I kept hitting him, so he finally stopped doing it."

Although throwing elbows around your own teammates could be a problematic affair, Drummond did so unapologetically. Safe to say, if there’s any modern-day player who takes rebounding as seriously as old-school legends like Dennis Rodman, it is surely ‘Big Penguin.’

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