Detroit Pistons media days 5 best moments

2. Drummond wants to win Defensive Player of the Year

Fans and experts were wrong about Andre Drummond‘s ceiling. Drummond has lived up to the standard of one of the league’s premiere big man. Fresh off a season where he averaged a career high in points with 17.3 points per game while grabbing 15.6 rebounds per game (second highest of his career), it’s time people put some respect on his name.

What’s great to hear from Drummond is that he wants to up his game even more by proving he can win Defensive Player of the Year Award. Winning DPOY is a sound recipe for not just being good but contending. Most teams who had a DPOY on their team have proof of making it to the NBA finals. Players like Dwight Howard, Ben Wallace and Kawhi Leonard all won DPOY award and eventually found their way to NBA Finals appearances.

For Drummond winning that award at 26 would prove he is everything the Pistons expected him to be and more. The Pistons go from good to great and Drummond being recognize for his elite defensive capabilities will bring confidence and swagger to a team who needs it.

Winning DPOY would not only create opportunities to win but it would create more optimism for the Pistons front office to retain Drummond. He is due for a whopping pay-day and one he believe he deserves (don’t they all). To Drummond’s credit if he wins the award and the Pistons win a playoff series, then the Pistons won’t be the only team gunning for his services.