Pitt's DeJuan Blair Relies on Heart to Make Up for Height

June 22, 2009

Pitt's DeJuan Blair relies on heart to make up for height

BY VINCE ELLIS
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

It was one of the most defining images of last season's college season.

In a matchup of two of the best teams in the nation, Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair vs. UConn's Hasheem Thabeet was among the marquee individual matchups in the rugged Big East.

Three minutes into the game, Blair and Thabeet grappled for a rebound when the 6-foot-6 Blair flipped the 7-3 Thabeet over his body and slammed him to the floor.

A foul was called on Thabeet, and while Blair calmly flipped the ball to the official, Thabeet was clutching his shoulder in pain on the floor.

Blair went on to dominate, scoring 22 points and grabbing 23 rebounds while a foul-plagued Thabeet managed only four rebounds and five points.

The performance shocked observers, who considered Thabeet a lock to be one of the top-three selections for Thursday's NBA draft.

And while Thabeet still is considered a surefire top-three pick, Blair has seen his stock rise since that night in February when he became a YouTube sensation.

And if the Pistons try to bolster their frontcourt, Blair could be the guy called when they pick 15th in the first round.

"He's giving away some size, but has long arms," draft analyst Chris Monter said Saturday of Blair's 7-2 wingspan. "But he made a name for himself by outplaying Thabeet.

"He's a player who showed great improvement throughout his college career."

Monter is publisher of the Monter Draft News.

Blair, who left Pittsburgh after a dominant sophomore season where he averaged 15.7 points and 12.3 rebounds, had one of the most impressive wingspans measured at last month's NBA draft combine in Chicago.

Another knock on Blair, besides his height, is his weight, which was pushing 300 pounds during the season.

But he has lost weight, and looked in solid shape walking around Chicago last month where he weighed 277.

Blair, who has been to Detroit among many visits, also addressed the height issue during a media availability session at the combine. At 6-6, he is considered undersized at power forward.

"That's just height," Blair said. "Height don't measure up with your heart, and I got a lot of that and a lot of toughness. My heart is enough to take up for my height."

Contact VINCE ELLIS: 313-222-6479 or vellis@freepress.com.