Pitt's DeJuan Blair Drafted By Spurs In 2nd Round

All-America forward DeJuan Blair watched the NBA draft doing sit-ups and cardio in a Pittsburgh hotel gym. By the time the 37th pick came around, he didn't need to convince the San Antonio Spurs he was healthy.

They simply couldn't believe the Pitt star was still available.

"It's no secret there are medical issues. Obviously that was a deal that didn't work in DeJuan's favor," Spurs general manager R.C. Buford said. "But we're the fortunate recipients of that."

Durability concerns after two reconstructive knee surgeries dropped Blair into the second round Thursday night and into the stunned arms of the Spurs, who liked the 6-foot-7 forward but thought he'd be long gone by the time they picked.

Instead, the reigning Big East co-player of the year was nervously working out and waiting for his name to be called. When it finally was, it appeared a perfect fit: Blair, the fierce college rebounder, going to a team that just emptied its frontcourt depth in a trade for Bucks star Richard Jefferson.

"All the teams that didn't pick me, I'm with the Spurs now," Blair said. "I'm going to make them regret it."

Blair's University of Pittsburgh teammate Sam Young was drafted in the second round also. Young is heading to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Spurs also drafted Miami guard Jack McClinton with the 51st pick and guard Nando De Colo from France with the 53rd pick. Like Blair, the sharp-shooting McClinton is another rookie who has the chance to contribute as soon as this season.

"I don't know how we could have gotten better fits for what we needed," Buford said.

San Antonio was hardly counting on the second round to snare a player who could make the roster right away. But the Spurs may have caught a break with Blair: their frontcourt needs replenishing after dealing Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto in a the Jefferson trade.

Jefferson came over Tuesday as the Bucks unloaded $29.2 million owed to the scoring swingman over the next two years. In return, San Antonio only gave up Thomas, Oberto and Bruce Bowen, three aging bench players.

Blair averaged 15.7 points and 12.3 rebounds for Pitt. He was the only Pitt player in the last 50 years to make first-team All-America. But while the Spurs were thrilled to get him, Blair said he was little upset being passed up in the first round.

The disappointment, apparently, didn't last long.

"It upset me, but at the same time, I knew I was going to get drafted," Blair said

When he declared for the draft in April after just two seasons at Pitt, the 20-year-old was confident that it would be NBA commissioner David Stern calling his name, saying at the time that "nobody's got me going in the second round."

Blair said he knew his knee troubles plummeted his stock. But he was grateful the Spurs took a chance.

"Since they believed in me, I'm just going to give them 1,000 percent," Blair said. "I'm going to do whatever they want me to do."

Blair himself didn't want to risk another knee injury one after two years at Pitt. He also struggled with his weight, ballooning to more than 300 pounds before settling to around 260 in college.

But Blair also led the nation in offensive rebounds and was fourth in rebounds overall. Tim Duncan has been asking the Spurs to get him help on the boards.

Buford said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was equally glad to get Blair so late, especially after San Antonio couldn't swing a deal to move up in the first round.

"He likes having a guy who led the country in rebounding," Buford said.

McClinton averaged 19.3 points as a senior for the Hurricanes and set an ACC record with a career 3-point percentage of .440. DeColo, 22, spent the past three seasons playing for Cholet Basket and averaged 12.3 points a game last season.