New Philadelphia 76ers big man Andre Drummond is still finding his way within the team, but as he goes up against some of the younger guys on the Sixers, he has found himself to be impressed a bit early.
Second-year man Paul Reed, who is a bit of a fan favorite in Philadelphia, has been going hard to begin training camp. The Sixers are still looking for a long-term backup to Joel Embiid and Reed has the potential to do just that for this team.
However, for Reed to earn an eventual rotation spot, he has to take it from Drummond. The former 2-time All-Star will have the inside track to backup Embiid, but that doesn’t mean that Reed won’t challenge Drummond in practice.
“Paul Reed is a very exciting and fun player,” Drummond beamed on Saturday. “I think you guys know him a little bit more than I do, but just in my short time I’ve been with him, he’s a very energetic guy, a fun guy to be around.”
Reed will continue to battle whoever he has to in order to make his name known on this team. He is not afraid of any big names or anybody who has a better resume than him. This is all about continuing to earn a spot in the league and with the Sixers.
“He’s himself,” Drummond added. “He knows who he is, and he’s a very talented basketball player. He’s a better shooter than most people expect. He’s an aggressive player, smart, and defensively, he’s aware.”
The Sixers will have one final day of training camp on Sunday before taking on the Toronto Raptors on Monday for their first preseason game. That will give Reed an opportunity to show his stuff to Doc Rivers and the rest of the coaching staff.
This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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