CAMDEN, N.J. -- Philadelphia 76ers big man Andre Drummond has had something of a renaissance season in 2025-26. While some believed Drummond was done after a tough 2024-25 in which he played only 40 games due to a bothersome toe injury, he has reminded everybody of what he can do with averages of 7.7 points and 9.4 rebounds.
Drummond has been a warrior for the Sixers playing through injury and doing a number of different things on the floor for Philadelphia--including adding a 3-point shot to his arsenal. The 2-time All-Star has not missed a game since suffering a right knee sprain back on Nov. 28 in Brooklyn when it looked like he was certainly going to miss some time.
However, the 32-year-old takes an old school approach when it comes to the injury.
"In my mind, I can do anything," Drummond said on Thursday. "I come from an era of basketball where if you can walk and jump and run, you go out there and play. If you’re unable to do those things, then you sit out. Injury or not, you’re gonna have bumps and bruises. You’ll never be 100% in an NBA season. That’s impossible, and if you are, you’re not doing your job."
A 14-year veteran and a 2-time All-Star in his career, Drummond has seen a lot in his career. He isn't going to let some minor injury slow him down at this stage of his career. He wants to keep playing for as long as he can.
"I don’t think about it," Drummond said of the knee. "If it hurts, it hurts. If it doesn’t, I’m not gonna think about it. It’s a freak injury. Things like that happen all the time in basketball, so I’m not one to sit out unless I absolutely can’t move. I won’t play, but if I can play, I can play. Regardless of how banged up I am."
Drummond has had to do a lot for the Sixers, whether coming off the bench or starting, and one has to wonder if this time off--the Sixers haven't played since Sunday before getting back at it on Friday--is beneficial for him.
"I don’t enjoy it," Drummond laughed. "It feels like a mini All-Star break and I enjoy playing. Obviously, once you have a routine going, it’s hard to break that when you have almost a week off. Difficult, but I guess we gotta win more games so we can be in the Cup."
Rhythm and timing is such an important piece for professional athletes. Drummond and the Sixers will have to do this again after a contest with the Atlanta Hawks on Dec. 14. They won't play after that one until Dec. 19 when the NBA Cup is done and the schedule goes back to being regular again.
"I’m still learning because this is the first time—in my career at least—that we’ve had almost two weeks in a row of four or five days off," Drummond finished. "That’s not normal in an NBA season, so I’m trying to figure out what’s the best way to utilize this time without, obviously, gassing myself out and not doing enough either. So, trying to find that happy medium right now to make sure I’m staying on my game."
The Sixers will face the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers big man Andre Drummond taking old school approach with injury
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