Andre Drummond has spent more than a decade battling some of the greatest players of his generation, and according to the veteran center, few players changed the NBA more than Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
During a recent appearance on Neon’s stream, Drummond reflected on what it was like facing the Golden State Warriors dynasty and how their style of basketball reshaped the league, particularly for traditional centers.
“I hated playing them. I would sleep a day early just for that game, knowing we had to chase those guys around. They changed the NBA. That Golden State Warriors team changed the league. Even before that, with just Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, they changed the NBA and made it very hard for centers to stick around.”
“I’m blessed and grateful to still be here, but a lot of guys fizzled out because they weren’t able to shoot the three-ball. I provided a service teams need. Everybody needs a rebounder. So I managed to stick around. I was able to add a different layer to my game this year. So it’s an exciting time.”
Drummond’s comments highlight one of the biggest shifts in modern basketball. Before Curry’s rise, the NBA was still dominated by traditional big men who lived near the basket. Teams valued size, rebounding, and interior scoring. Then Curry and the Warriors arrived and stretched defenses to unprecedented levels.
Suddenly, centers were being forced to defend 25 feet from the basket. Players who could not switch onto guards or space the floor offensively quickly became liabilities. The league moved toward versatility, shooting, and pace. Many traditional centers struggled to adapt.
That service has been elite rebounding. Drummond has built one of the greatest rebounding resumes of the modern era. A two-time All-Star, four-time NBA rebounding champion, and All-NBA Third Team selection, he dominated the glass throughout his prime years with the Detroit Pistons.
His best statistical season came in 2017-18 when he averaged 15.0 points, 16.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 52.9% from the field. For several seasons, Drummond was virtually guaranteed to produce a 15-point and 15-rebound stat line on any given night.
Across his career, he has averaged 12.1 points and 11.9 rebounds while shooting 53.9% from the field, numbers that place him among the most productive rebounders of his era.
Even late in his career, Drummond continues to find ways to stay relevant. Last season with the Philadelphia 76ers, he averaged 6.4 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting 47.2% from the field. More notably, he knocked down 35.6% of his three-point attempts, showing a willingness to adapt his game to the modern NBA.
That evolution is exactly what Drummond was talking about.
The Warriors‘ dynasty fundamentally changed basketball. Curry’s shooting range and Durant’s unique combination of size and skill forced teams to rethink roster construction. Traditional centers either adapted or disappeared.
Drummond was one of the few who managed to survive the transition. While many big men were pushed out of the league, his rebounding, physicality, and willingness to evolve helped him carve out a long NBA career. His comments serve as a reminder of just how dramatically Curry, Durant, and the Warriors changed the game, not only for fans watching from home, but for the players trying to stay in the league.
