Harvey: DeJuan DeMan: Beyond His Talent

[duncan228]

DeJuan DeMan: Beyond his talent (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/DeJuan_DeMan_Beyond_his_talent.html)
Buck Harvey

Hasheem Thabeet stretched and blocked the shot. He does that. He's 7-foot-3.

But then DeJuan Blair retrieved the basketball. This was in February, when Pitt met UConn in a Big East showdown, and Blair quickly powered back to wow America.

“I felt like an animal at that point,” Blair said then. “I felt like I wanted to kill.”

Blair paused and shrugged. “So I killed.”

Blair ended with 22 points and 23 rebounds, and the UConn coach, Jim Calhoun, called Blair “a man.” Weeks later, when penciling Pittsburgh into a tournament bracket in front of a TV camera, President Obama used the same, exact phrase.

This is why the Spurs suddenly feel blessed again, and this is why the Spurs are as optimistic as they've been about a rookie since Manu Ginobili showed a few things during the 2002 World Championships.

Blair will not be as ready as Ginobili was, and his knees will always be an issue. The Spurs have looked at the X-rays and, yes, he's ACL-less.

He also played only two years at Pitt, and rookies need some time. No one is certain his skill set and height will transition to the NBA, another reason he fell in the draft.

Then there are Gregg Popovich's demands: Blair will have to show a few things no one has seen, because Spurs scouts say Blair was not a good college defender.

Still, one staffer in the draft room Thursday said there were “cartwheels and high-fives,” and R.C. Buford later gushed as he rarely does about any draft pick.

An especially daring prediction: Blair will play 20 minutes a night.

The Spurs had tried to trade up into the middle of the first round, but Blair wasn't the target. Like everyone else, they worry about his health.

From what the Spurs know thus far, his knees are not demonstrating instability. His function is not affected as long as this is the case, though the length of his career is in doubt. That's why Blair left Pitt early, and it's why the Spurs, like other teams, didn't want to commit to a first-round contract.

So they mostly watched Thursday night as general manager after general manager talked himself out of Blair. When he dropped to the second round, the Spurs started making calls, looking to deal, but the Rockets escalated the bidding by buying picks.

Then Blair fell to No. 37. Not only did the Spurs change, so did the perception of them.

Analysts linked this to the Parker/Ginobili drafts, as if this franchise is magic. The media in Dallas and Houston asked why their teams couldn't do these things.

In truth, as it was with Tony Parker, all the Spurs did was wait.

Now they can't wait to see Blair on the court. One on the staff thinks Blair is clearly better than, say, Tyler Hansbrough, who went at No. 13. Others wonder, after what Blair did to Thabeet, if only Blake Griffin is better.

In some areas, Blair is actually better. Numbers suggest Blair wasn't the best offensive rebounder in the draft — he might be the best in college basketball in the decade.

“Great passer and wingspan,” said one Spurs scout, “and he has hands like (Tim) Duncan's. He has unbelievable feel and timing.”

Just as 6-foot-5 Chuck Hayes proved to be effective rooting Pau Gasol, the Spurs think Blair could, too. But he's not Charles Barkley, as some have compared him to. Blair doesn't have the same explosion.

Still, what sets Blair apart is something else entirely. It's “the man” factor, and the Spurs saw that when they talked to him. They say it was one of the most impressive interviews they've had.

It's a personality that wins. It's a personality that doesn't care how much work is required, or about the size of the stage, or if the opponent is 8 inches taller and has just blocked his shot.

As it was in February.

[Dex]

Gottamnit, October cannot get here soon enough. :hungry:

[EricB]

Chuck Hayes on steroids.

I like...

[EricB]

Gottamnit, October cannot get here soon enough. :hungry:

Why wait till October.

Summer league starts in a couple weeks :spin

[timvp]

“I felt like an animal at that point,” Blair said then. “I felt like I wanted to kill.”

Blair paused and shrugged. “So I killed.”Nice.

:smokin


An especially daring prediction: Blair will play 20 minutes a night.Not too daring considering that's how many minutes Buford said he'd play.


The Spurs had tried to trade up into the middle of the first round, but Blair wasn't the target. I wonder who it was. I'm guessing Casspi.


Others wonder, after what Blair did to Thabeet, if only Blake Griffin is better.MB with some pub :hat


“Great passer and wingspan,” said one Spurs scout, “and he has hands like (Tim) Duncan's. He has unbelievable feel and timing.”On paper, he passing stats are actually pretty good. Decent amount of assists and not too many turnovers.

In games I've seen him in, I wouldn't call him a "great passer" ... but hopefully I'm wrong and that's another trait he'll bring to the table.

[Dex]

Why wait till October.

Summer league starts in a couple weeks :spin

Good point. Do they broadcast Summer League games online? Or is it only like...NBATV, etc?

[Mel_13]

Good point. Do they broadcast Summer League games online? Or is it only like...NBATV, etc?
Last year they were all available live and free online.

[DMX7]

Good point. Do they broadcast Summer League games online? Or is it only like...NBATV, etc?

Yeah, but only a few. It's a good time to go to Vegas. Southwest Airlines fares are dirt cheap right about now so you could book it and catch some games. Thomas & Mack Center is right by the strip.

I've already been to Vegas once this year. :)

[Mel_13]

Last year's broadcast schedule:

http://www.nba.com/summerleague2008/vsl_tvschedule08.html

[Blackjack]

“I felt like an animal at that point,” Blair said then. “I felt like I wanted to kill.”

Blair paused and shrugged. “So I killed.”

Damn, I love this guy.:tu

He's got a great personality and one that is definitely going to be a departure from the norm for Pop, so that's going to be another interesting dynamic to see played out.

I've got a question, though...

If he's left school early on any account of his knees and the Spurs are going to be doing everything in their power to make sure he lasts long enough to help them for more than a year, should he really be playing in the S.L.? (Honest question...)

[Buddy Holly]

I've already been to Vegas once this year. :)

How's the sun burn healed? Still pissed at your boys for living you on the roof? :downspin:

[objective]

Not too daring considering that's how many minutes Buford said he'd play.

I think that was just Harvey's way of attributing that to Buford, who he describes as gushing over him in the previous sentence. I don't think that's Harvey's prediction, he just worded it strangely with the paragraph breaks.

[Mr. Body]

There's a prominent play in some of the youtube videos where he does a touch pass back to the baseline inbounder for an uncontested layup. It's a really impressive pass that shows a lot of awareness. I don't think he's a spectacular passer, but it shows a lot of floor IQ and a player more than just a brute rebounder.

[timvp]

If he's left school early on any account of his knees and the Spurs are going to be doing everything in their power to make sure he lasts long enough to help them for more than a year, should he really be playing in the S.L.? (Honest question...)

Yeah, you gotta play him. It's too valuable for all parties involved. Blair gets an early jump on the Spurs' system prior to training camp and the Spurs get a better understanding of whether or not he can help right away. If he can't, then they probably need to sign an additional big.

That said, you probably want to play him about 25-30 minutes per game. It'd be pretty dumb to play him close to 40.

[DMX7]

How's the sun burn healed? Still pissed at your boys for living you on the roof? :downspin:

It was cooler there then than it is here now.:lol

[TimDunkem]

He should come off the bench like a pitbull who's been released off his chain, and go to work on weak rotation bigs.

[objective]

Yeah, you gotta play him. It's too valuable for all parties involved. Blair gets an early jump on the Spurs' system prior to training camp and the Spurs get a better understanding of whether or not he can help right away. If he can't, then they probably need to sign an additional big.

That said, you probably want to play him about 25-30 minutes per game. It'd be pretty dumb to play him close to 40.

He'll be splitting time with Mahinmi and Gist at the least, and the games are only 40 minutes long. I don't think there's much of a chance he'd play more than 25 mpg.

[Blackjack]

Yeah, you gotta play him. It's too valuable for all parties involved. Blair gets an early jump on the Spurs' system prior to training camp and the Spurs get a better understanding of whether or not he can help right away. If he can't, then they probably need to sign an additional big.

That said, you probably want to play him about 25-30 minutes per game. It'd be pretty dumb to play him close to 40.

I agree, but damn, these stories/reports about his knees are seeming so grim.

Before I started reading all these stories and medical reports, I thought the questions of an early demise were pretty over-exaggerated/overly-cautious, so I'm hoping I was right the first time.

It's just hard to imagine this kind of outlook after seeing him play the last two years, and to the best of my recollection, without any crazy knee-braces.

It's a win-now mode for sure, so I guess you've got to throw caution to the wind and see what you've got, but I'd be lying if I didn't say part of me was thinking we should all be holding our breath.

[DJB]

Blair will not be as ready as Ginobili was, and his knees will always be an issue. The Spurs have looked at the X-rays and, yes, he's ACL-less.


I still don't understand this. How is it possible to play basketball with no ACLs? :huh

[loveforthegame]

How can you not love his attitude and desire? Can you imagine that energy off the bench unleashed along with Ginobli's?

[Blackjack]

I still don't understand this. How is it possible to play basketball with no ACLs? :huh

How the hell should we know, you're the one who does it...

[DJB]

Touche.

[Blackjack]

How can you not love his attitude and desire? Can you imagine that energy off the bench unleashed along with Ginobli's?

That's an aspect that shouldn't be overlooked with some of these potential additions.

Energy.

If Spurs fans get a chance to see the likes of McClinton and Gist out there, they're not going to know what to do with themselves. These guys have motors that seemingly never stop.

Throw Blair into the equation (Holt Cat's newest earth-mover) and guys like Hill, and of course Manu, and you've got more game-changing energy than this team has had in... Well, maybe ever...

[Mr. Body]

I still don't understand this. How is it possible to play basketball with no ACLs? :huh

Why are you asking us?

The ACLs were repaired, but the fixed job was absorbed into the scar tissue. This happens sometimes. So technically there are no ACLs and so it is up to the hamstring and quad muscles to do the job they would have done, and to do it in a balanced fashion.

[SenorSpur]

Anyone know who the Spurs were targeting in their failed attempt to move up into the 1st round?

[Spurm]

Hahahah how stupid are these fans...

Blair will be a Bust...
reminds me of Jackie Butler...hehehehehe

[Thompson]

Anyone know who the Spurs were targeting in their failed attempt to move up into the 1st round?

No one said who it was, and they might not ever let it slip. I would guess maybe Casspi, but who knows? We might see it mentioned by a writer in passing after playing against that player's team ('Casspi, who had limited minutes in the game last night, was rumored to be the player the Spurs tried to move into the first round for; they'll instead have to make do with Blair and his 15 points and 22 rebounds') some time later this year.

[TimDunkem]

Hahahah how stupid are these fans...

Blair will be a Bust...
reminds me of Jackie Butler...hehehehehe

I guess you didn't watch DeJaun Blair.

[Spurm]

I guess you didn't watch DeJaun Blair.


A Guy with no ACL's lol


Bust in the making...

[ivanfromwestwood]

A Guy with no ACL's lol


Bust in the making...keep on dreaming skeet.

[buttsR4rebounding]

"so I killed" is never a phrased uttered by Jackie Butler. That could be his nickname: Killer or Assasin or Spurminator...

[TimDunkem]

A Guy with no ACL's lol


Bust in the making...
Like I said, you don't watch DeJaun Blair. Wipe the Spurm out of your eyes.
I thought your team was the Suns?

[gospursgojas]

"So I killed"

That right there won me over... I already love this guy

[gospursgojas]

Last highlight is the one talked about in this article


9WASWhKKQfY

[Spursmania]

DeJuan DeMan: Beyond his talent (http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/spurs/DeJuan_DeMan_Beyond_his_talent.html)
Buck Harvey

“I felt like an animal at that point,” Blair said then. “I felt like I wanted to kill.”

Blair paused and shrugged. “So I killed.”


“Great passer and wingspan,” said one Spurs scout, “and he has hands like (Tim) Duncan's. He has unbelievable feel and timing.”



:D

How can you not be excited about this potential. I too fell in love with this guy when he just said so I killed. He's naturally aggressive which brings instant energy to the floor. I can't wait for the games to begin-what an exciting year this will be for the Spurs.:hungry::hungry:

[phyzik]

A Guy with no ACL's lol


Bust in the making...

thats the great thing about this pick. It was the 37th pick overall for shits sake, if he is a bust WGAF? But the potential that he has, if he can succeed, would make it one of the biggest steals in a draft in recent memory. quit hating. :lmao

[Spursmania]

thats the great thing about this pick. It was the 37th pick overall for shits sake, if he is a bust WGAF? But the potential that he has, if he can succeed, would make it one of the biggest steals in a draft in recent memory. quit hating. :lmao

Exactly. I mean hell, anybody with any common sense should understand this. Come on...:bang They just love to hate.

[mountainballer]

I still don't understand this. How is it possible to play basketball with no ACLs? :huh

good question, but on the other hand, there are so many players out there who play basketball with no brain, so no ACLs might be a minor issue.

[Ace9]

good question, but on the other hand, there are so many players out there who play basketball with no brain, so no ACLs might be a minor issue.

:lol Does anyone have a link/know where the live broadcasts of the summer league are going to be broadcasted? I am pyshced about Blair.

[duncan228]

Does anyone have a link/know where the live broadcasts of the summer league are going to be broadcasted?

NBA.com, NBA TV, and some local coverage for some teams.

The 2009 SL schedule is here:

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/06/22/summer.league/

The broadcast schedule hasn't been announced yet, last year's is here:

http://www.nba.com/summerleague2008/vsl_tvschedule08.html

[Ace9]

NBA.com, NBA TV, and some local coverage for some teams.

The 2009 SL schedule is here:

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/06/22/summer.league/

The broadcast schedule hasn't been announced yet, last year's is here:

http://www.nba.com/summerleague2008/vsl_tvschedule08.html

Thanks.

[BillMc]

Last highlight is the one talked about in this article


9WASWhKKQfY

That is soo cool! Thanks for posting. I am getting very excited about this season!

[Go For Tree]

Hahahah how stupid are these fans...

Blair will be a Bust...
reminds me of Jackie Butler...hehehehehe

no such thing as a second round bust...... even with knowing about his knees he was still projected as top 15.

And another thing, if he has no acl's then he cant tear them! GOLDEN!

[angelbelow]

Hahahah how stupid are these fans...

Blair will be a Bust...
reminds me of Jackie Butler...hehehehehe

sporkkiller?

[The Truth #6]

Realistically, we're only asking for 2 quality years out of Blair for the end of the Tim Duncan window. Of course, hopefully Blair has a long career but we're in "win now" mode.

[Marcus Bryant]

MB with some pub :hat


You're welcome, Buck.

Who is willing to tell me right now that Tyler Whitesborough is better than Blair? It looks like Blair got dinged because of the knees and that the conventional wisdom on said knees precipitated his fall to #37. Then, of course, there were the GMs who chickened out on selecting Blair because he didn't have the magic height for a bigman of 6'10" and above (as if being 6'10" tall ever helped Samaki Walker or Thomas Copa).

Yes, this was a shitty draft. All the more reason that Blair could easily be the 2nd best player drafted out of it.

So maybe Blair would be the 7th best player drafted out of a normal NBA draft. Oh drat.

I know many of you are thinking what I'm thinking, but like NBA GMs you are afraid to go against conventional wisdom.

[peskypesky]

Gottamnit, October cannot get here soon enough. :hungry:

I'm with you! I'm salivating!

[TampaDude]

Hahahah how stupid are these fans...

Blair will be a Bust...
reminds me of Jackie Butler...hehehehehe

Reality >>>>> You :lol

[nadroj117]

A Guy with no ACL's lol


Bust in the making...

Have you ever heard of a player named Sean Elliott?? He played his career without one of his ACL's... turned out pretty well... Don't speak like you know what you are talking about. With the 37th pick there is no "BUST" possible here.

[weebo]

At least he can't be any worse than Greg Oden!!:elephant

[Drachen]

Have you ever heard of a player named Sean Elliott?? He played his career without one of his ACL's... turned out pretty well... Don't speak like you know what you are talking about. With the 37th pick there is no "BUST" possible here.

Especially since we still got the guy who we were going to use the 37th pick for.

[nkdlunch]

save his knees until after AllStar break and then unleash the beast

[nkdlunch]

even with no ACLs he'll be more durable than Oden