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Andre Drummond calls himself the 'best rebounder of the past century

Before you scoff at Drummond’s statement, the big man has a legitimate claim to that title

Stephen Beslic

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Chicago Bulls big man Andre Drummond made some pretty lofty claims about his rebounding ability, referring to himself as the "best rebounder of the past century." While many players may argue, Drummond remains one of the best rebounders in the NBA, despite playing a reserve role in recent years.

Bullish rebounding

Before you scoff at Drummond's claim, you should know that the 29-year-old's average of 13.2 rebounds per game is the best of this century, ahead of Dwight Howard's mark of 11.8. The 6-foot-10 center's rebounding percentage of 24.68 is even better than that of rebounding monster and Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman (23.44). Apart from the numbers, Drummond's presence on the Bulls has helped anchor the second unit and give it an identity it sorely lacked last season.

"You have the best rebounder of the past century on your team; I take rebounding seriously. And I know that's something this team lacked in," Drummond said. "And I think our team now, we're tough. Going after every rebound is something I bring to this team. And I think it's showing."

If you needed more evidence of Drummond's rebounding prowess, he has already registered double-digits in rebounding twice in four games this season, all while playing a career-low 15.4 minutes per game.

Sharpening Vucevic

Not only is Drummond's claim backed up by his impressive numbers, but he is also impacting his fellow All-Star big man, Nikola Vucevic. The two have waged numerous battles in practice, with Vucevic saying that Drummond has made him a better rebounder.

"I played against him a lot over the years. It's great competition when you go against a guy who has been playing so long and has been an All-Star. It makes you better. I think through camp and all our practices, we've had good battles when we're scrimmaged and done different drills. It has helped both of us," said Vucevic.

It will be interesting to see if Drummond can keep up with his dominance in rebounding throughout the entire season. The Bulls will need him to be active on both ends of the floor, getting defensive boards while also making an impact on offense and securing more second-chance opportunities for his teammates.

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Stephen Beslic
STEPHEN BESLIC

Stephen Beslic is a writer on Sports Illustrated's FanNation Network. Stephen played basketball from the age of 10 and graduated from Faculty of Economic and Business in Zagreb, Croatia, majoring in Marketing.

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