Best Game Ever: Andre Drummond felt disrespected as a rising star, so he exploded like a supernova

Pistons center Andre Drummond of Team Hill throws down a dunk over Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis of Team Webber in the 2014 Rising Stars Challenge game.

By Dan Woike

Staff Writer

Jan. 19, 2019 4 AM PT

Dan Woike asked NBA players to tell us about the best game in their basketball career. This week: Andre Drummond

Feb. 15, 2014: NBA Rising Stars Games

Team Hill 142, Team Webber 136

30 points, 25 rebounds

Andre Drummond was in his second season and he was playing well — maybe even at an All-Star level for Detroit. He was averaging 13 points and 13 rebounds blocking almost two shots per game and shooting better than 60% from the field. He thought he might get the call to play in the All-Star game. Instead, Indiana’s Roy Hibbert and Chicago’s Joakim Noah got the nods, and Drummond ended up in the rookie-sophomore game. Feeling slighted, Drummond set himself a goal — and it ended up being his best game ever.

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“The best game I’ve ever played — it’s probably the rookie-sophomore game where I won MVP — 30 points, 25 rebounds. ... It’s just one of the games where you go out there and have fun. … I was pretty upset that I didn’t make that All-Star team because of the stats I had and how well we were playing. I just went out there and played mad. I said it from the beginning. I told the team, ‘I don’t know about you guys, but I’m here to win this MVP and win this game.’ And it ended up happening. It worked out in my favor. That was probably the most fun I had. I knew I had one goal, to win the MVP for my mom.”

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