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Andre Drummond makes Sports Illustrated All-Ignored team

By Dan Feldman

Jan 14, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) holds the ball during the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) holds the ball during the first quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated named his All-Ignored team, the top players at each position who didn’t make the All-Starter starter voting leaderboard. Though Drummond eventually finished 15th among frontcourt players – making him the fourth-lowest ranking vote getter on the leaderboard – he was left off enough early returns to make Golliver’s team:

"C: Andre Drummond, PistonsDrummond, Detroit’s 21-year-old center, is by far the least polished of the five players on this list, but he also possesses the most upside. His exclusion from the All-Star voting leaderboard is both understandable and questionable. On one hand, Detroit got off to an atrocious 5-23 start, Drummond’s shooting numbers and efficiency stats have dipped, and the Josh Smith fit question cloud hovered over everything.​On the other hand, Drummond is still one of only 11 bigs to average a double-double this year; he joins Zach Randolph as the only members of that group that aren’t among the top 50 vote-getters. Plus, the East’s frontcourt pool is incredibly shallow: Drummond, by default, is more deserving than the likes of Joakim Noah (injuries have significantly hampered his play), Kevin Garnett (old), and Nikola Mirotic (a Rookie of the Year candidate playing a confined role for Chicago).This is still very much a story of “what will be” rather “what is” right now. Since dumping Smith, Detroit now has the looks of a playoff team; Drummond, an offensive rebounding and dunking machine who is improving as an defensive anchor, should get a slice of the credit for that turnaround."

"Drummond continues to struggle with foul trouble and currently ranks 15th among centers in PER and 11th in Real Plus-Minus, but the peaks – like this 26/20 outing against the Bucks – suggest the future holds so, so much more.SI.com’s Rob Mahoney laid out in detail the progress Drummond has made this season and what’s still to come under coach Stan Van Gundy. Here’s betting that Drummond: 1) winds up on next year’s vote-getting leaderboard, and 2) finds a place in the All-Star Game before his age-25 season. Because, really, how many 21-year-old centers provide scoring and volume rounding, while also possessing the quickness, leaping ability, length, and timing required to come from the weakside to erase a shot at the rim in this manner?Hover to play"

I’m with Golliver: Drummond is on his way to becoming an All-Star. The Pistons center has taken a step back lately, especially defensively, but his physical talent is incredible.

Like Greg Monroe, Drummond probably should have gotten more All-Star consideration this year. He shouldn’t have made the team, but he deserved to have his case heard (especially because some of his recent downturn came after coaches’ ballots were due).

This is real progress for the Pistons.

Usually, it’s only Pistons fans even suggesting the idea of any of the team’s players making the All-Star game. Now, we have national writers calling attention to Drummond and Monroe, and Jennings might have mustered a little credit if he hadn’t gotten hurt.

Eventually, this momentum could turn into an actual All-Star berth, and my money is on Drummond getting it.

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