by
Andre Drummond
One of the more notable quotes at the Detroit Pistons' media day on Monday came from Andre Drummond.
It is well-known that Drummond has a serious hole in his game, that being his deficiency at the foul line. He shot 35.5 percent from the stripe last year, a career low.
All the talk in the off-season surrounded the big fella and the great lengths he was going to, with the help of Stan Van Gundy and the rest of the organization, to find a solution to this problem.
Would he try the under-handed “granny-style” technique, setting aside any concern about appearance in order to shoot a softer, more consistent free throw?
Would he step all the way up to the line instead of attempting his shot a foot or two further out like Josh Smith used to do?
After Drummond’s disastrous 2015-16 free throw experience, one could expect major changes this winter. Guess again.
Mental or Physical?
During Drummond’s session with the media Monday, the topic of foul shooting came up -- something to the tune of, “Were the changes you made more physical or mental...”
Drummond cut the question off and answered confidently: “All mental. That’s all it is. For me, it’s something to keep me level-headed. When I do miss a shot, find that peace.”
By all means, mazel tov to Andre for attacking the mental aspect of free throw shooting. It is obviously one skill in sport that relies on repetition and a strong, confident approach. But let us not forget that it is still very much a physical act; one that requires proper form and a real commitment to shooting the basketball the right way.
Drummond hasn’t had anything close to that during his four years as a pro, and by the sound of it, has done nothing of significance from a purely mechanical standpoint to change that fact. For a Pistons organization that just gifted the All-Star center with a massive contract, the “It's all mental” answer to solving his FT woes cannot be at all encouraging.
There’s an interesting storyline that I’m sure will be at play during this upcoming Pistons campaign. Drummond struggled so badly from the line last year and into the playoffs too (4-for-16 in Game 2), that, if he “improves” to something like 43 or 44 percent, I can see the narrative becoming, "This mastering of the mind has worked wonders!"
But it won't be a valid argument. NBA players, and especially the highest-paid ones at that, are expected to excel. They aren’t perfect, of course; but being a real force on both ends of the floor is a requirement if you are to be considered among the league’s elite. Showing a modicum of improvement on a statistic - particularly one that would be nearly impossible to still show a decline - is not something worthy of praise.
Not Good Enough
After last season -- when Aron Baynes had to pinch-hit for Drummond down the stretch of close games -- it became an organizational priority for the actual free throw stroke of Andre get a dramatic overhaul. Maybe it would feel weird for the first week, or a month, or even the whole summer; but simply staying with his broken model -- albeit with a more refined effort on the mental side -- is not nearly good enough.
Many Piston fans were looking forward to the pre-season, if only to see the new shot that Drummond would likely be debuting at the line. With all the talk about his summer-long focus directed at this critical issue, big changes were almost assuredly on the horizon. Now it seems like it could be a lot more of the same.
Drummond is to be applauded for trying to strengthen the cerebral aspect of his free throw routine. But this wasn’t some pristine car with a little oil leak. This was a wildly disfigured engine that needed to be destroyed and started again, entirely anew.
After today’s comments, it seems as if nothing of the sort has taken place.
