Andre Drummond doesn’t care that the fans voted in Carmelo Anthony instead of him as an Eastern Conference All-Star starter.
Or does he?
Per Rod Beard of the Detroit News:
#Pistons Drummond on All-Stars: "I wasn’t voted in; it’s a fan thing and they voted for the guys they wanted to see. I can’t control that."
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) January 25, 2016
Drummond was leading Melo for much of the voting process, but Anthony’s evolved offensive game won over fans in the end. And while Drummond tries to play it nonchalant here, my guess is that he cares.
All-Star appearances don’t actually matter, but they can be important for contract incentives and, more notably, player resumes.
If it makes Drummond feel any better, there’s a good chance the coaches vote him into the festivities. Though he falls in love with chasing blocks on the defensive end, he’s been an absolute monster—historically good.
According to Basketball-Reference, no other player who has qualified for the minutes per game leaderboard ever averaged at least 18 points, 16 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per 36 minutes—as Drummond is doing now.
Centers who can’t shoot border on obsolete when it comes to All-Star games, but Andre Drummond has been dominant enough in his respective role to likely, if certainly, sway the coaches vote in his favor.
