Nick Nurse Highlights Key Change for Sixers' Andre Drummond

Nick Nurse spoke on a change in Andre Drummond's build over the course of the offseason.

Jan 15, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond practices before a game against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

This offseason saw the Philadelphia 76ers bring back a few familiar faces to the fold, one of which was Andre Drummond, who picked up his $5 million player option for the 2025-26 NBA season. It's set to be the second year of the contract that he put to pen with Philadelphia last year, as well as one that he hopes to bounce back off of, speaking about the disappointment he felt during the Sixers' media day on Friday.

Jan 1, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (5) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings center Alex Len (25) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

"I'm definitely beyond motivated; I feel like I let myself down, I let this, this city, down to and his team, and I took that personally, so I'm ready to play," Drummond told the press.

Drummond's Toe Injury

Mar 3, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (1) dunks the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The two-time All-Star would take to the court for 40 games, in which he would average 7.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, both categories being a step down from what he was producing during his last season in the Windy City with the Chicago Bulls.

A key point to look at with Drummond's campaign would be his 40 appearances, which marked a career low for the 13-year veteran, with the main culprit behind his absences being a toe injury that kept him out of the Sixers' final 16 games of the campaign.

Earlier in the week, Drummond was open about his recovery process for his toe injury, explaining that through toe yoga, he was able to get back to full fitness.

"It was a good summer for me, I did all the necessary things I needed to do to build the strength back in my foot, and I'm 100%, I've looked great during camp, and I'm ready," Drummond stated to the press.

What other changes have people seen in Andre Drummond?

This wasn't the only thing to catch Nick Nurse's eye during the Sixers' recent run of training days, as he feels that Drummond has shown up ready to work in better shape than he was in a year ago.

"I mean, he's also come in better shape, I think he's nervous talking about this, but I think he's at least 20 or so pounds lighter than he was a year ago at this stage, so that that's a good start," Nurse explained. "Probably keep going on that just a little bit more, but it's helped. It's helping him, and his toe feels better... so he's moving a little bit better, he's been playing very hard."

As for now, the Sixers will start their trip overseas for their matches against the New York Knicks in Abu Dhabi, with those matches being the first chance for the NBA world to get a glimpse at a slimmer Drummond.

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