Drummond adding 3-point shot to offensive repertoire

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Don't look now: But Andre Drummond might be adding the 3-point shot to his repertoire in his first season with the Chicago Bulls.

It goes beyond the 3-for-3 3-point shooting night the veteran center had in the Bulls' 115-98 preseason win over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night.

No, Drummond said he has been working on his outside shooting since his sixth year in the league — focusing on building confidence in that area more than mechanics. He just hasn't done so in the public eye.

"Every summer I would just go at it," Drummond said after the Bulls' Monday practice. "There are videos that are out of me shooting them. I would never take them in a game. But it's more so just working in the dark when nobody's watching and being able to be prepared for those moments when it does come."

Drummond, a career 13.2 percent 3-point shooter on 114 total attempts, certainly was prepared Sunday, stepping up to confidently bury three wide-open long-range jumpers. He was the only Bull in the game to make more than two.

It adds a layer to what has become a common sight around the Bulls' practice facility in recent weeks: Drummond often staying after the conclusion of drills and scrimmages to work on shooting triples from the corners.

"It's something that I spoke to the coaching staff in the summertime when I signed here, that it's something that I've worked on, that I want to be able to stay on the floor, and I want to be able to add different facets to my game to be able to help this team win," Drummond said. "And if I'm able to make that corner 3 when I'm wide open, it adds another element to our team."

Opposing teams will certainly test Drummond's confidence. He has made just 15 regular-season 3s in his career and has a spotty track record from the free-throw line as well (54 percent for his career), although he has improved in the latter category drastically since his days mired in the 30-40 percent range early in his Pistons tenure.

But if the open shots present, he says he is up for the challenge.

"At the end of the day I'm here to play the offense the right way. But if that shot does present itself I more than likely will take the shot," Drummond said. "It's not gonna be something where I'm shooting contested 3s or taking wild shots. It's gonna be in the flow of the offense, if I'm open I'm shooting it."

Drummond cited the belief of his teammates and head coach Billy Donovan in giving him the confidence to experiment with this new wrinkle.

"With a team like this that spaces the floor so much, and I'm out there (on the perimeter) more times than not in this offense, it's a shot that I have to work on and be able to knock at least one or two now," Drummond said.

As for their reaction to his banner night, which, had it come in the regular season, would have marked a career-high for 3-pointers made?

"Everybody was happy," Drummond said. "It wasn't more so celebration, it was more so, 'Alright, he's shooting with confidence, so let's see where it goes from here.'"

Indeed. Let us see.

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