Philadelphia 76ers Veteran Speaks on Previous Battles With Joel Embiid

Andre Drummond revisits his old battles with 76ers star big man.

Dec 10, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) reacts alongside Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) after being called for a foul during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

In their first move of free agency, the Philadelphia 76ers locked down a key role by bringing in a backup center. After a brief run with the team in 2022, Andre Drummond opted to return and once again play behind Joel Embiid.

Before Drummond became Embiid's backup, the two had numerous battles on the court during his time with the Detroit Pistons. It formed into a bit of a rivalry, as Embiid poked fun at Drummond on social media on some occasions.

With about two weeks until the Sixers depart for training camp, Drummond decided to spend some time within the community. Earlier this week, he popped up at a school in Camden and spent time with the students and faculty as part of a back-to-school event.

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After he was done volunteering his time, Drummond spoke a little about his upcoming second stint with the Sixers, according to ClutchPoints. Among the things to come up was his previous battles with Embiid. Even when they were opponents, the two bigs built up respect for each other because of the challenges they posed on the court.

“And it's been like that [since] I've been in Detroit,” Drummond said. “I think that's really why he respects me, because no matter how good he is, he might have the upper hand on me but I'm gonna keep coming. I'm gonna push him to be great. I'm gonna push him to be the best player he can be, really to show the world why he is the best center to play this game.”

Over the years, Drummond and Embiid have managed to become good friends. The bond they built during his first time with the team played a significant role in him returning as a free agent this summer. Reunited once again, the duo will now attempt to get the Sixers back in the hunt for an NBA championship.