Spurs see Blair as steal
Jeff McDonald
In a different world, with a different medical sheet, Pittsburgh forward DeJuan Blair might have been a lottery pick.
Blessed with an instinctive rebounding ability but cursed with two surgically repaired knees, Blair instead slipped to the second round of Thursday night’s NBA draft.
The Spurs were waiting. And almost salivating.
When Blair was still on the board at No. 37, the Spurs — after a long wait just to get on the clock — wasted little time in using their first pick of the night to try and fill their most pressing need.
“They were the one team that believed in me,” Blair said by phone late Thursday night. “Since they believed in me, I’m going to give them 1000 percent.”
The Spurs are hopeful that Blair, 6-foot-7 with an ever-running motor, can help provide depth for a frontcourt depleted by this week’s trade for swingman Richard Jefferson.
The Big East Co-Player of the Year as a sop re last season, Blair averaged 15.3 points and 12.3 rebounds, and led the nation on the offensive glass.
The Spurs did not expect him to still be on the board so late in the draft.
“I don’t think anybody in our group expected that,” general manager R.C. Buford said. “You don’t find a guy like that falling very often.”
The Spurs have an obvious need on the frontcourt after including big men Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto in the trade that brought Jefferson from Milwaukee on Tuesday. Blair said he believes he can bring some of the toughness and rebounding that Thomas once provided.
Projected as a first-round pick, Blair’s stock fell due to red flags on his medical report. He played two seasons at Pitt on a pair of knees reconstructed in high school after twin ACL injuries.
“There’s no secret there’s a medical issue there,” Buford said. “We were the fortunate recipient of that. We’ve got a great medical staff, and we’ll have him on a great program here.”
Earlier in the day, the Spurs had explored ways to move into the first round, but could not find a deal to their liking. In the end, the Spurs felt lucky to have been forced to stick with their hand.
The Spurs selected University of Miami guard Jack McClinton with the 51st pick.
After selecting Blair, the Spurs used their remaining two picks on guards, selecting Miami gunner Jack McClinton with the 51st pick and using the 53rd pick on Nando De Colo, a 21-year-old from France.
They would have been glad to take either at No. 37, had Blair not fallen into their lap.
McClinton, a 6-foot-1 sharpshooter, set an ACC record by hitting 44 percent of his 3-pointers in three seasons with the Hurricanes. The Spurs were also impressed with McClinton’s defensive abilities, with Buford calling him “the best defender we worked out” during draft preparation.
De Colo, who spent last season playing in the French A-League, is likely to remain overseas for the time being.
McClinton projects as a specialty player, Eddie House with a defensive edge. By phone Thursday night, he said he is looking forward to the challenge of making the Spurs’ roster.
“That’s my plan,” McClinton said. “I’m going to continue to work hard and prove the critics wrong. I belong in that league. Nothing’s going to stop me from getting to where I want to go.”
NBA DRAFT REPORT
FIRST ROUND
Pick, team Player Pos. Ht. Wt. College or country
1. Clippers Blake Griffin PF 6-10 248 Oklahoma
2. Grizzlies Hasheem Thabeet C 7-3 267 Connecticut
3. Thunder James Harden SG 6-5 222 Arizona State
4. Kings Tyreke Evans SG 6-5 220 Memphis
5. Timberwolves Ricky Rubio PG 6-5 180 Spain
6. Timberwolves Jonny Flynn PG 6-1 196 Syracuse
7. Warriors Stephen Curry PG 6-3 181 Davidson
8. Knicks Jordan Hill PF 6-10 232 Arizona
9. Raptors DeMar DeRozan SG 6-6 211 Southern Cal
10. Bucks Brandon Jennings PG 6-2 165 Italy
11. Nets Terrence Williams SG 6-6 213 Louisville
12. Bobcats Gerald Henderson SG 6-5 215 Duke
13. Pacers Tyler Hansbrough PF 6-10 234 North Carolina
14. Suns Earl Clark SF 6-10 226 Louisville
15. Pistons Austin Daye SF 6-11 192 Gonzaga
16. Bulls James Johnson PF 6-8 257 Wake Forest
17. 76ers Jrue Holiday PG 6-4 199 UCLA
18. Timberwolves (a) Ty Lawson PG 6-1 199 North Carolina
19. Hawks Jeff Teague PG 6-2 175 Wake Forest
20. Jazz Eric Maynor PG 6-3 164 Va. Commonwealth
21. Hornets Darren Collison PG 6-2 166 UCLA
22. Trail Blazers Victor Claver SF 6-11 217 Spain
23. Kings Omri Casspi SF 6-9 211 Israel
24. Mavericks (b) B.J. Mullens C 7-1 258 Ohio State
25. Thunder (c) Rodrigue Beaubois PG 6-2 182 France
26. Bulls Taj Gibson PF 6-10 214 Southern Cal
27. Grizzlies DeMarre Carroll PG 6-8 207 Missouri
28. Timberwolves Wayne Ellington SG 6-5 202 North Carolina
29. Lakers (d) Toney Douglas SG 6-2 183 Florida State
30. Cavaliers Christian Eyenga SF 6-6 210 Congo
SECOND ROUND
Pick, team Player Pos. Ht. Wt. College or country
31. Kings (e) Jeff Pendergraph PG 6-10 240 Arizona State
32. Wizards (f) Jermaine Taylor SG 6-5 207 Central Florida
33. Trail Blazers Dante Cunningham PF 6-8 227 Villanova
34. Nuggets (f) Sergio Llull PG 6-3 175 Spain
35. Pistons DaJuan Summers SF 6-9 243 Georgetown
36. Grizzlies Sam Young SF 6-7 223 Pittsburgh
37. SPURS DeJuan Blair PF 6-7 277 Pittsburgh
38. Trail Blazers (g) Jon Brockman PF 6-7 255 Washington
39. Pistons Jonas Jerebko SF 6-9 220 Sweden
40. Bobcats Derrick Brown PF 6-9 225 Xavier (Ohio)
41. Bucks Jodie Meeks SF 6-4 211 Kentucky
42. Lakers (i) Patrick Beverley PG 6-1 172 Ukraine
43. Heat (h) Marcus Thornton SG 6-4 194 LSU
44. Pistons (f) Chase Budinger SG 6-7 206 Arizona
45. Timberwolves Nick Calathes PG 6-5 165 Florida
46. Cavaliers Danny Green SF 6-7 208 North Carolina
47. Timberwolves Henk Norel PF 6-11 211 Netherlands
48. Suns Taylor Griffin SF 6-7 240 Oklahoma
49. Hawks Sergiy Gladyr SF 6-5 190 Ukraine
50. Jazz Goran Suton C 6-10 245 Michigan State
51. SPURS Jack McClinton SG 6-1 185 Miami (Fla.)
52. Pacers A.J. Price PG 6-2 193 Connecticut
53. SPURS Nando De Colo PG 6-5 185 France
54. Bobcats (j) Robert Vaden SG 6-5 205 Ala.-Birmingham
55. Trail Blazers Patrick Mills PG 6-1 175 St. Mary’s (Calif.)
56. Mavericks Ahmad Nivins PF 6-9 242 St. Joseph’s (Pa.)
57. Suns Elmer Preldzic SF 6-9 220 Slovenia
58. Celtics Lester Hudson SG 6-2 190 Tenn.-Martin
59. Lakers Chinemelu Elonu PF 6-10 235 Texas A&M
60. Heat Robert Dozier SF 6-9 215 Memphis
Key: (a) traded to Nuggets for future first-round pick; (b) traded to Thunder for Beaubois; (c) traded to Mavericks for Mullens; (d) traded rights to Knicks; (e) traded to Blazers for Brockman; (f) traded to Rockets for cash; (g) traded to Kings for Pendergraph; (h) traded rights to Hornets; (i) traded to Heat for future second-round pick and cash; (j) traded rights to Thunder
Definitely a steal. The man is a beast and will eat anyone who comes near his rebound!!!
Given the picks the Spurs had to work with I don't see how they could have done any better.
“I don’t think anybody in our group expected that,” general manager R.C. Buford said. “You don’t find a guy like that falling very often.”Maybe GW will believe me now.They would have been glad to take either at No. 37, had Blair not fallen into their lap.
Does it sound like Blair might make the last string 4?
I might have to actually have a sig.“They were the one team that believed in me,” Blair said by phone late Thursday night. “Since they believed in me, I’m going to give them 1000 percent.”
dude looks like malik rose to me. short, good jumper, good rebounder. blair should watch some tapes of him before the contract.
A lot of people are saying the Spurs got the steal of the draft. From what I've been reading about Blair tonight, I'm inclined to agree.
"Spurs See Blair As Steal"
Ya' think?
Cue the "I am Blair's cousin" poster....
A steal for us...excellent job, Pop & R.C.
i hope this guy rebounds like reggie evans in 05....
Yes, he has to learn how to pump fake five times before getting off a contested shot in the lane if he wants to fill Malik's shoes.
I once played as the Knicks on NBA Live and 2k and the first chance I got I gave the ball to Malik. I pumped faked so much I almost had a 3 second violation called on me.
Ah, good times.
show em what they passed on, dejuan!
BTW, before you all get butt hurt about Blair, I wasn't taking a shot at him, just making fun of Malik.
Might make the team???
Last string 4???
Come on man.
We really could not have asked for much more out of today. We never had a chance at Claver or Casspi, but to get Blair is an absolute steal.
A starting 4 that can defend and stretch the floor for Duncan as well as a shotblocking 5 should round out this team nicely. We have two salary exemptions and Bonner/Finley to get it done.
That's a good sign. Quality shooter who impressed defensively?The Spurs were also impressed with McClinton’s defensive abilities, with Buford calling him “the best defender we worked out” during draft preparation.
Not bad for 51.
co player of the year!
the spurs had to take him
or it would be like not taking josh howard like the draft acouple year ago
if your co player of the year your damn good
thats all i got to say
A point guard who can defend and loves to shoot?
Did anyone check pop's pulse?
I think it's safe to say that Pop is having a of a time right now, wherever he's at.
He's a GREAT rebounder. Have you seen his numbers? Rebounding is one of the few skills that directly translates to a higher level of basketball.
As soon as he makes the rotation, his reb/48 numbers will be in the top 10 in the NBA.
He might've broke out something that has dust and was made before 1960.
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