Detroit Pistons: How Much Potential Does Andre Drummond Have?

The Detroit Pistons drafted center Andre Drummond with the ninth pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, and have been very happy with the production that they have received from him so far. Standing at 6’10” and possessing incredible athleticism, he makes for a very tough cover for any other NBA center. His offensive game hasn’t quite gotten to the point that it needs to be, but he is one of the best defensive big men in the NBA.

Drummond has played in and started 65 games this season for the Pistons, averaging 13.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game. He has improved his offensive game immensely in his second season, but still needs to work on his post game. Obviously his rebounding and defense have been what has gotten him playing time thus far, and he has continued to improve in those aspects of his game as well.

So the question becomes, how much potential does Andre Drummond possess?

This shooting chart makes his offensive struggles extremely clear. He quite simply doesn’t have any range outside of five feet and in, and will need a lot of work before he is able to reach his full offensive potential. If he can continue improving his post skills, and then work on a mid-range game, he could become a very dangerous offensive weapon.

There have been multiple analysts that have gone out on a limb and said that Drummond possesses star potential. He certainly does appear to be improving into a very impressive player in his second year, and has given some of the best centers in the NBA some trouble already. He is a very similar type of player to Dwight Howard, but still needs to work on his strength in order to get to Howard’s level.

Drummond’s field goal percentage (.617) has been phenomenal, but that will be the case for any big man that shoots the majority of his shots either deep in the point or by dunking the basketball. His free throw shooting has to improve, especially with his ability to cause nightmare matchups in the post.

Overall, he has all the potential in the world to become a star in the NBA. Improvements to his offensive game are all that need to be done for him to take the next step in his career. The Detroit Pistons have every reason to be excited about his growth, and with Drummond’s work ethic it shouldn’t be anything more than a matter of time.

Evan Massey is a Staff Writer for HoopsHabit.com. Follow Evan on Twitter at @Massey_Evan.