Odartey Blankston

[westcoastwarrior]

Seoul Thunder....Seoul's elite basketball club is having their training camp in Santa Cruz, CA...and has a scrimmage being advertised in the local paper..

I was wondering who the American Players would be on the team...

I got a chuckle seeing Odartey Blankston....

I always thought ODB could have be playing in the NBA if he stayed at MU...

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seoul_Samsung_Thunders

That being said...glad to see he is collecting a paycheck to play a game for a living.

[Wade for President]

Odartey (no 'L') was a tremendous rebounder, with a great wingspan.  He always seemed To be in the right spot at the right time.

Anybody else see Travis Diener played for the Italian national team today?  Crazy.

[raul]

Wasn't odarty the guy who came in with Wade? Both from the Chicago area? Wade got all the attention so a little jealousy problem may have affected his decision to leave.

[Dawson Rental]

Wasn't odarty the guy who came in with Wade? Both from the Chicago area? Wade got all the attention so a little jealousy problem may have affected his decision to leave.

He was the player who committed at the same time as Wade.  His reason for leaving was unhappiness over playing power forward since he was convinced that he wouldn't make the NBA unless he developed perimeter skills in college.

[AZWarrior]

He was the player who committed at the same time as Wade.  His reason for leaving was unhappiness over playing power forward since he was convinced that he wouldn't make the NBA unless he developed perimeter skills in college.

I see his point.  It worked out so  poorly for JFB.

It's a shame, certainly for MU, but likely for him as well that he transferred.  It still bums me out that he did.  But players transferring is a big part of college ball.

[hdog1017]

ODB was an inconsistent version of Oluoma Nnamaka.

[MarquetteDano]

He was the player who committed at the same time as Wade.  His reason for leaving was unhappiness over playing power forward since he was convinced that he wouldn't make the NBA unless he developed perimeter skills in college.

Funny, you see players like Maymon and Blankson make a big deal about playing a position that the NBA deems for them, but as others have mentioned the following players made the NBA despite not playing that position:

• Lazar playing the 4-5 at Marquette, then 3 in NBA
• Matthews playing the 3 at Marquette, then 2 in NBA
• Butler playing the 4 in college, then 2-3 in NBA
• Crowder playing the 4 at Marquette, then the 3 in NBA
• Lockett playing the 3 in college, then perhaps 1-2 in NBA

I think kids are looking too far forward.  Just play whatever position you are given well, and things tend to work out for you.  Especially in Buzz's offense/defense where there are so many switch-ables.

[wadesworld]

ODB was an inconsistent version of Oluoma Nnamaka.

Loved me some Nnamaka.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

ODB was an inconsistent version of Oluoma Nnamaka.

You're nuts. Blankson was a really good player and a devastating loss.

[77ncaachamps]

Agree.

I try to block out his three-point, Ballhog happy career at UNLV, and think what could have been if he was around for the 2003 run.

[MU82]

Agree.

I try to block out his three-point, Ballhog happy career at UNLV, and think what could have been if he was around for the 2003 run.

I don't know enough about our history at that time. If he sticks around, do we have the scholly necessary to get Robert Jackson?

[VegasWarrior77]

Wasn't odarty the guy who came in with Wade? Both from the Chicago area? Wade got all the attention so a little jealousy problem may have affected his decision to leave.

He was a great talent but a selfish player.  He, along with a couple other UNLV players, wore down coach Charlie Spoonhour until he retired.

[77ncaachamps]

I don't know enough about our history at that time. If he sticks around, do we have the scholly necessary to get Robert Jackson?

Probably wasn't a concern.
Somebody could've been Creaned for RJax.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Probably wasn't a concern.
Somebody could've been Creaned for RJax.

Jackson was already in the fold. Blankson had been named team captain for the year. I'm telling you, I always thought the 2002 team was better than 2003. (Probably not, but a man can have clouded memories). We had both Diener and Henry, as well as Blankson. What a devastating loss to Tulsa.

With Blankson on the 2003 squad, we may have won it all...although Novak may not have developed as quickly. And Townsend would've never seen the floor.