Andre Drummond doesn’t command the spotlight, but still has a vital role with the Sixers

CLEVELAND — Andre Drummond was a two-time NBA All-Star and four-time rebounding champion with the Detroit Pistons. As a walking double-double, he was Joel Embiid’s biggest Eastern Conference nemesis.

Nowadays, Drummond is the 76ers’ insurance policy for the often-injured Embiid.

The 6-foot-11, 279-pounder starts at center when the 2023 league MVP is unavailable. But even on those nights, Drummond doesn’t command the spotlight. So he’s not mentioned in the same vein as the Sixers All-Star trio of Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey — or even Jared McCain, before the rookie was sidelined indefinitely with a left-knee injury.

But the Sixers are well aware of Drummond’s immense worth. His selflessness guarantees that he’ll never be forgotten as one of the most unheralded players on the team.

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How does someone with his resumé accept such a role?

“I’m at a point now where I’ve done everything individually, accolade-wise,” said Drummond, who’s in his 13th NBA season. “A lot of things that guys in this league haven’t done, I’ve done it already, individually. My goal now is to win. And whatever capacity that comes in, you know, I’m down to do for the team.

“Do I want to play more? Of course, who doesn’t want to play more? But that’s not best for the team right now.”

So Drummond is determined to make the best of whatever minutes he gets. He’s also determined to be the best leader possible.

The 31-year-old uses his experience and expertise to shine a light on the young players on the team.

“I know when I was coming up, I had a lot of good vets as well, too,” he said. “So I want to be that guy for these younger kids, too, really show them the ropes of what this league is really about.”

But with Embiid not playing both games of back-to-backs, Drummond was in the starting lineup in Satuday’s 126-99 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. It actually was his 23rd start in 26 appearances partially because Embiid missed 19 games with left knee management, left knee swelling, a right sinus fracture, and while serving a three-game suspension.

Drummond failed to score while missing his three shot attempts. However, he grabbed a team-high eight rebounds in 14 minutes, 24 seconds of action.

His scoring average of 7.5 points entering Saturday was as the second-lowest of his career. His 8.3 rebounds per game were his third-fewest. However, he’s compiling those numbers in 20 minutes per game.

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But Drummond entering Saturday ranked second in the league in rebounds per 36 minutes at 14.9 was a major indicator of excelling in his role.

He also had eight games with double-digit rebounds, highlighted by a season-high 17 against the Indiana Pacers on Oct. 27. Drummond a season-high four steals in games against the Toronto Raptors (Oct. 25) and Orlando Magic (Dec. 6).

“He always has to do what he does best,” said Eric Gordon, who turns 36 on Christmas Day. “That’s why he’s here. Maybe when Joel’s out, you got a big body that can still rebound and play his game. As you get older, it’s all about making sacrifices to win. You understand your body is different, everything is different, and you are more catering yourself to winning as you get older.

“And that’s what all of our older guys are here to do.”

Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey loaded up on veterans this offseason to provide leadership in depth.

In addition to Drummond and Gordon, the team added Reggie Jackson (34) and re-signed Kyle Lowry (38). They also signed George (34) to be a third maximum-salary star alongside Embiid and Maxey. Drummond, Gordon, Jackson, Lowry, and George have played in a combined 4,692 regular-season games through Friday.

Until his first Sixers stint during the 2021-22 season, Drummond only imagined himself as a starter. That was understandable, considering he was one during his tenures with the Pistons, Cavs, and Los Angeles Lakers.

“The first time was when I came here,” Drummond said. “That was the first time I came off the bench for anybody.”

How was it?

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“That ... was awful,” he said. “It was a humbling experience. I tell everybody this. It is a humbling experience coming from playing 38 to 40 minutes to coming off the bench and playing behind one of the best centers to play the game.

“So it was very humbling, but also it gave me a different outlook of the game that there’s other ways I can impact the game besides playing 40-plus minutes.”

Once he realized that, Drummond was fine with being a reserve.

He did, however, finish that season as the Brooklyn Nets starting center after being traded there on Feb. 10, 2022. After that season, he signed a contract to be Nikola Vučević’s backup with the Chicago Bulls. It was a role at which Drummond excelled the past two seasons.

“Do I want to start? Do I think I’m a starter? Sure, who wouldn’t?” he said. “It is what it is. I’m not about how you start. It’s about if you are winning a game, how you impact the team. I don’t even look at stats anymore. I look at my plus-minus and see if I affected the game in any way.

“If I had a bad plus-minus and I had eight points and 10 rebounds, that’s not a good night. I’d rather have … plus-3 and zero points. That means I impacted the game, someway and somehow helped us win. I’m content with the small victories.”