ESPN (Insider): Top 25 Under 25 - #12: DeJuan Blair

12. DeJuan Blair, PF, 22 years old

The 6-foot-7, 270-pound power forward fell to the 37th pick of the 2009 draft after two seasons at Pitt because he is missing anterior cruciate ligaments in both knees, and scouts did not think he had the lift to finish at the rim. In his first game with the San Antonio Spurs, he scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, proving some skeptics wrong for a night, but then continued to play well on a very good team. Blair has brute strength and a tremendous feel for the game. He runs the court, establishing early position. Blair fundamentally uses angles and positioning to lock up his opponents in the paint, often finishing in the paint over taller opponents. Tremendous pickup for the Spurs. Similar to: Charles Barkley

The full list: (rankings determined by Kevin Pelton's (Basketball Prospectus) SCHOENE projection system)
1. Kevin Durant
2. Derrick Rose
3. Kevin Love
4. Andrew Bynum
5. Blake Griffin
6. Russell Westbrook
7. Greg Monroe
8. James Harden
9. Kyrie Irving
10. John Wall
11. Ty Lawson
12. BLAAAAAAIIIIRRR
13. DeMarcus Cousins
14. Steph Curry
15. Danilo Gallinari
16. Ricky Rubio
17. Brandon Jennings
18. Mike Conley
19. JaVale McGee
20. Serge Ibaka
21. Nicolas Batum
22. Thaddeus Young
23. Tyreke Evans
24. Jrue Holiday
25. Brook Lopez

3 months ago silverandblack_davis 41 comments 0 recs |

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Still recovering from being deprogrammed by Pop last year. Can we give him a break? He is going to be a monster in a few years when he finally reaches a state of basketball enlightenment.

by ChapRL on Feb 12, 2012 8:28 PM CST reply actions

It may be a favorable ranking for DeJuan, but DeBeast can brang it! TALMBOUT!!!!!

by Gino20 on Feb 12, 2012 9:36 PM CST reply actions

Then let’s trade him. He’s too undersized. We need another big and we take our 5th ring. The window is closing.

Do or do not! There is no try!

by Spurs Yoda on Feb 12, 2012 10:24 PM CST via mobile reply actions

Ridiculous.

by LatinD on Feb 12, 2012 11:18 PM CST reply actions

I like Blair, specially for a 37th pick, I love the guy.
But I would trade him withouth hesitation for any of the guys under him in that list (except maybe Javale, he is a loser)

my mom (who doesnt know a lick about basketball): "that guy is anything but World Peace"

by Chilai on Feb 13, 2012 3:15 AM CST reply actions

Could it be you would trade him because we haven’t had to deal with the boneheaded plays of the lower tiers?

Though, Brooke Lopez being so far down seems a little odd…

"If the NBA season is a marathon, Gregg Popovich is a full-blooded Kenyan."

-Timothy Varner 48MoH

by Jordan Leithart on Feb 13, 2012 3:33 PM CST up reply actions

Most of the guys after Blair are very smart players, and lots of them playing for winning teams. The only guys who could be considered dumb are Demarcus and Javale, while Tyreke seems to be a very selfish player. That being said, both Kings have tremendous ability (not just potential, they have shown to be dominant players at times) and I would trade them for Blair (a bench energy guy at best) withouth hesitation

my mom (who doesnt know a lick about basketball): "that guy is anything but World Peace"

by Chilai on Feb 13, 2012 4:47 PM CST up reply actions

RC should use this article to say “See, I’m giving you a GREAT deal” when trying to trade Blair/Anderson for DeMarcus.

The longest, brightest day is followed by the darkest night.

by Tim C. on Feb 13, 2012 4:55 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

He should have used that when he was also offering McDyess + whatever else… Yes, this article didn’t exist at the time…

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 13, 2012 4:55 PM CST up reply actions

LMAO

I pictured R.C. doing that with Sacramento’s G.M..

One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.

by gunnin' gervin on Feb 14, 2012 10:29 PM CST up reply actions

is it possible that list is backwards?

by ironm8 on Feb 13, 2012 9:03 AM CST reply actions

Two things jumped out at me:
1. 4 Thunder players. Damn.
2. While I’m a huge Blair supporter, the Barkley comparisons need to stop. He won’t reach that level. Malik Rose is a better comparison. Even Oberto is a better comparison. I’d drop Blair three spots and move Gallinari, Ibaka, and Brooke Lopez above him. I think he’ll be a better long-term pro than Cousins and McGee.

Cinnamon and sugary as softly spoken lies, you never know just how you look through other peoples' eyes

by SpursfanSteve on Feb 13, 2012 10:59 AM CST reply actions

Rose is a better comparison than Oberto. Oberto used his smarts, while Blair still tries to use his athletic abilities. Rose at times, used his smarts, until he got the bigger contract and tried to do too much at the end of his Spurs career, which got him in Pop’s dog house.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 13, 2012 11:58 AM CST up reply actions

Right- on his bad days, he’s Rose, on his good days, he’s a mix of the two. He’s 22. I’m ok with that.

Cinnamon and sugary as softly spoken lies, you never know just how you look through other peoples' eyes

by SpursfanSteve on Feb 13, 2012 1:55 PM CST up reply actions

I’d say early Rose, since later Rose had the jumper. He went a tad too much RJ on it, not mixing it up, but his jumper got decent. Yes he’s 22, but the clock is ticking on his contract.. I don’t think 22 is a good excuse for the lack of boxing out.

For his jump shot/scoring/nearly everything else, sure, but not for the lack of boxing out on defensive boards.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 13, 2012 2:35 PM CST up reply actions

Rose, huh?

What do you think about him?

The 2012 season: the Spurs have a chance, but only if Manu can be Manu in the playoffs. - CapHill
Pounding the Rock

by J.R. Wilco on Feb 13, 2012 4:31 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs

Spurs could have used Rose in 2006 against the Mavs. That’s the one year he would have been very very useful.

Rose was hampered by his contract in his later year. He did try to do too much at times, but he was a good role player for the team.

If he had been younger after his NY stint, I probably would have wanted him back a bit more, as he did some things pretty well, especially when Spurs played small ball.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 13, 2012 4:38 PM CST up reply actions

Where is Cmoney?

Cinnamon and sugary as softly spoken lies, you never know just how you look through other peoples' eyes

by SpursfanSteve on Feb 13, 2012 6:14 PM CST up reply actions

The world may never know.

The 2012 season: the Spurs have a chance, but only if Manu can be Manu in the playoffs. - CapHill
Pounding the Rock

by J.R. Wilco on Feb 20, 2012 6:33 PM CST up reply actions

Don’t let those two guys silliness cloud your judgement. Cousins and McGee are already better than Blair and if they ever get there head on straight will be a whole lot better than him. The thing with both of those guys is they are on young rebuilding teams with lame duck coaches.

I will say Demarcus has been playing a lot better since Keith Smart took over though

One thing i can do...................is FINGER ROLL.

by gunnin' gervin on Feb 14, 2012 10:32 PM CST up reply actions

Can you post the one about 5 trades to help the Spurs?

I saw it on there last week but I dont have, nor will I ever, an Insider account

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Feb 13, 2012 11:31 AM CST reply actions

Sure, I think I can do that. Fair warning: it’s pretty redonkulous except for one trade proposal.

I would like to get a little more inside, myself -- Pau Gasol

by silverandblack_davis on Feb 13, 2012 6:49 PM CST up reply actions

Im curious

to see what they suggest

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Feb 13, 2012 8:40 PM CST up reply actions

Done. Posted it as a different FanShot.

I would like to get a little more inside, myself -- Pau Gasol

by silverandblack_davis on Feb 13, 2012 9:32 PM CST up reply actions

And it’s actually just three trades instead of five.

I would like to get a little more inside, myself -- Pau Gasol

by silverandblack_davis on Feb 13, 2012 9:33 PM CST up reply actions

Wow, I can’t agree with this list. Spurs would take many guys listed under him. Maybe all but one or two guys on that list they’d actually take him over. Maybe…

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 13, 2012 11:56 AM CST reply actions

right, but how many on that list were 2nd round draft picks? They weren’t in a position to get many of those guys

Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.

by bren on Feb 13, 2012 8:41 PM CST up reply actions

The Spurs have who they have, but the list is flawed. And that’s the point. His ranking is deceiving.

If he doesn’t work with the Spurs, he doesn’t fit unless he improves his work habits in the areas where he needs to improve. Sometimes that just happens to be the case. I don’t feel like he’ll be back after his contract is up.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 13, 2012 9:36 PM CST up reply actions

I think they use PER (career). Blair is 17.2

by cuentaluis1 on Feb 13, 2012 1:30 PM CST reply actions

But this is his worst season … talking about his Rbs (In his rookie season he was a machine Rebound machine

by cuentaluis1 on Feb 13, 2012 1:31 PM CST up reply actions

Yeah that’s how he is so high on the list. His numbers are actually good. He’s always had a good PER, he has a good FG% and he gets boards.
He is certainly not the 12th player under 25 but I think DeJuan can become a good starter if he manages to correct a couple of things about his game.

"Manu Ginobili is the ultimate human cheat code, the password to the rim."
-Alex Dewey

by Edg5 on Feb 13, 2012 3:16 PM CST up reply actions

He’s the perfect player for the fantasy player GMs. Puts up stats, but the full picture isn’t seen in stats.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 13, 2012 3:19 PM CST up reply actions

It never is.

The 2012 season: the Spurs have a chance, but only if Manu can be Manu in the playoffs. - CapHill
Pounding the Rock

by J.R. Wilco on Feb 13, 2012 4:32 PM CST up reply actions

Yes, but this is a case of Isiah Thomas vision. Yes, Bowen is an example on the other side of value, while Blair at the time is on the other side, where his stats make him better than he actually is. Most on this board (the non-causal fans notice this).

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 13, 2012 4:53 PM CST up reply actions

this

my mom (who doesnt know a lick about basketball): "that guy is anything but World Peace"

by Chilai on Feb 13, 2012 4:49 PM CST up reply actions

Well he has just a couple of things wrong, but those are very big things: overall defense, Defensive rebounding and shot selection.
He is a starter right now, and you could say he is decent overall. Im on the hater side right now, I think you could plug any journeyman PF at his spot and get the same results. Dejuan is regressing in my opinion, rookie Dejuan at least dominated the boards like no one in the league.

my mom (who doesnt know a lick about basketball): "that guy is anything but World Peace"

by Chilai on Feb 13, 2012 4:52 PM CST up reply actions

He’s more a starter because his game is the least versatile on the team. Bonner is the better first unit fit, but then that kills the 2nd unit. Yes, Pop could go with Bonner/Blair, but we know how successful that is. Splitter/Blair is lousy too.

And then of course all the other stuff that you mention.

Winter is coming

by grego21 on Feb 13, 2012 4:54 PM CST up reply actions

When he was a rookie, he was a minishaq, with all the random stuff and surprising the world
I cant remember the last time that he make a dunk (I think this is by design trying to avoid injuries)

by cuentaluis1 on Feb 13, 2012 7:31 PM CST up reply actions