Andre Drummond offers needed rim support for the Chicago Bulls — and dubs himself ‘the best rebounder of the past century’
The Chicago Bulls exited the 2021-22 season with a clear weakness around the rim.
The Bulls were one of the worst rebounding teams in the NBA, finishing third-to-last in overall rebounds (42.3 per game) and second-to-last in offensive rebounds (8.7 per game).
Center Andre Drummond, acquired in the offseason, offered a solution for the Bulls: himself.
“You have the best rebounder of the past century on your team,” Drummond said after shootaround before Wednesday’s game against the Indiana Pacers at the United Center. “I take rebounding very seriously.”
Drummond isn’t bluffing about his prowess: No one has outrebounded him in the 21st century. He leads the NBA in rebounds per game since 2000, averaging 13.2 — nearly two more than his closest competition, Dwight Howard (11.8 per game).
And while no player is likely ever to reach the herculean feats of Wilt Chamberlain (22.9 career rebounds per game) and Bill Russell (22.5), Drummond ranks 11th in NBA history — the only active player ranked in the top 20.
“I know that’s something this team was lacking,” Drummond said. “Our team now, we’re tough. We’re a very tough team. It’s getting down to each and every one of us knowing that we can’t take those possessions lightly.”
After a Bulls season with little backup at center, Drummond is a much-needed supplement to All-Star Nikola Vučević.
Vučević is a mainstay for the Bulls offense, averaging 18.3 points along with 13 rebounds per game this season. Drummond’s contribution is less splashy, but his stat line Monday against the Boston Celtics reflected his preferred way of playing: two points, 12 rebounds.
Both players are extremely familiar on the court after a decade as opponents. Now that competition drives them to build a better unit for the Bulls — although Drummond noted that he and Vučević rarely go full-out in practice.
“It’s not worth fighting for in practice, we have bigger things to worry about,” Drummond said. “So there’s been times where I’ll let him go and vice versa. We’re not going to hurt ourselves in practice.”
The competition for minutes could push Drummond into one of the most efficient seasons of his career. Through the first four games, he was averaging 20.1 rebounds per 36 minutes — a more accurate metric for a bench player than per-game statistics.
That’s a hard standard to maintain and the physical wear and tear of the season is likely to eat away at Drummond’s efficiency. But if Drummond can maintain that presence around the rim, the Bulls will be better prepared to outlast opponents this season.
“I’m doing something right,” Drummond said. “I’m making the best out of my minutes.”
