Drummond Impresses in First Game

Andre Drummond has been a member of the Detroit Pistons for less than two weeks and it took exactly one summer league game for him to show the promise that had so many scouts, coaches and general managers salivating over his raw talents. On Monday, during an NBA summer league game in Orlando, the 6-10, 280-pound big man had all facets of his game on display. Details from the Detroit Free Press' Vince Ellis:

Pistons fans got their first glance of the prized first-round pick Monday courtesy of NBA TV televising Orlando summer league action. The record will show that the first time Drummond suited up as a member of the Pistons, his summer-league team defeated the Utah Jazz, 76-73. Drummond contributed eight points, five rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots to go along with 4-for-6 shooting in 27 minutes.

After the game, Ellis sounded, like, well an 18-year-old trying to adjust to the rigors of NBA life.

"I kind of got the first-game jitters out," he said according to Ellis. "I was a little nervous coming in. It's a summer-league game, but it's still a game and it's my first time in a Pistons uniform.

"Just going out there and being with the guys and running up and down and playing against other guys instead of my own teammates, it felt real good and we're going to build a great connection and a great bond because our team is a big family and we're definitely going to win a lot of games this season."

Drummond faced off against Utah's 2011 first-rounder, Enes Kanter, a native of Turkey who entered the league as a savvy big man with plenty of moves both in the paint and on the perimeter.

"He's a good player; he's a lottery pick," Drummond said. "It's tough for me trying to stop him, but I played to the best of my ability and kind of changed some of his shots and blocked some of his shots, too. We kind of went at each other and we shook hands after the game and I told him he played a great game."

Not surprisingly, Drummond struggled from the free-throw line where he went 0-for-3 including two air balls. "I'm just trying to take baby steps," Drummond said. "I'm not going to get frustrated because I'm working hard and I know that one day it's going to come to me."

In the scheme of things one day doesn't mean much. If nothing else, however, Drummond's off to a good start. And when you're a teenager in an unfamiliar situation with new teammates, it certainly can't hurt.

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