Andre Drummond says he's the best rebounder in NBA history, again

Back in 2012, the Detroit Pistons made Andre Drummond the ninth pick in the NBA Draft. He’s averaged 12.7 rebounds per game in his 11-year NBA career, which Drummond feels makes him the best rebounder in basketball history. It’s not a new claim from him, but Drummond didn’t stop there. The former Pistons great also says he feels he has a good chance of reaching the Basketball Hall of Fame.

While his odds of reaching the HOF may be slim (1.9 percent), Drummond’s case as the best rebounder of all time has a lot more merit. More on that in a moment. Here’s Drummond on why he should be considered an all-time great.

“I used to play 40-plus minutes. I was a star — All-Star, All-NBA, I’ve done it. Hall of Fame candidate, best rebounder ever … I’m the best ever. I’ve done great in my career. I think I have a chance to be a Hall of Fame player due to what I’ve done in my career. Actually, I’m pretty sure I’m in the top 20 for being in the Hall of Fame, so I have a great chance.”
Andre Drummond on his NBA resume

It’s true. Drummond is the NBA’s all-time leader in total rebound percentage at 24.8 percent. This is a mark that tops Dennis Rodman (23.4 percent), Rudy Gobert (21.6 percent), DeAndre Jordan (21.5 percent), and thousands of others. But many would argue this one statistic doesn’t automatically make Drummond the G.O.A.T.

For one, Total Rebound Percentage can only be tracked back to 1970, meaning Hall of Fame legends like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and many more are not included on the NBA’s all-time list. In other words, we’ll never really be able to compare Drummond’s ability to clean the glass with legends of the past.

However, that shouldn’t take away from his accomplishments. There have been several greats since 1970, and Drummond stands out among all of them, at least in the Total Rebound Percentage stat. So, yeah, some might consider him one of the greatest rebounders of all time, but to give him the title without debate? Good luck with that one.

Drummond is under contract with the Chicago Bulls for the 2023-24 season, where he can continue to pull down boards with the best of them, strengthening what he feels is already a strong candidacy for the Hall of Fame. And who knows, maybe with more inspired performances in the rebounding department, he’ll earn more consideration for the title he already feels he’s deserved.