Panthers in the Pros: 1st Edition

In the beginning of Pitt's basketball renaissance it was said that Pitt players played well as a team, but they weren't talented enough to play in the NBA.  While Pitt is never going to have multiple players drafted every season like a Duke or Kentucky, several players have gone on to have success either in the NBA or overseas.

Steven Adams

Adams was the first Panther to be selected in the first round since Vonteego Cummings in 1999.  It was the highest a Panther had been selected since Charles Smith was taken #3 overall by the 76ers.  Adams is having a decent season for the Thunder so far.  He has an opportunity to play because their starting center, Kendrick Perkins, is crap.  Through seven games, he's averaging 6.1 points and 5.7 rebounds with a high of 17 and 10 against the Pistons a few games ago.  He started last night against the Clippers.  Adams is very raw offensively still, but once he learns the NBA game he will be a force.

DeJuan Blair

 

My favorite Pitt basketball player ever on my favorite NBA team?  Is this real life?  Blair played for the Spurs for four seasons and was one win away from a ring last year, but he was eventually phased out of the rotation.  It was time for Blair to move on, and he did by signing with the rival Mavs.  He doesn't start, but he averages about the same amount of minutes he did during his first three seasons in San Antonio (about 21).  He and Samuel Dalembert split time at the Center position.  Samuel Dalembert sucks.  So far this season, Blair is averaging 8.8 points (career high 9.5 in 2011) and 7.9 rebounds (career high 7.0 in 2010).  He's also averaging 2.1 steals (11th in the league) which is just amazing.  Blair is never going to get many shots on a team that features Dirk Nowitzki, Monta Ellis and Vince Carter, but if he maintains his current output (steals numbers aside because that's unsustainable), he will be an important piece for the Mavericks.

Aaron Gray

 

Yes, Aaron Gray is still in the NBA somehow and is entering his 8th NBA season.  The Raptors are his third team (Chicago and New Orleans), and he has been with them since 2011.  So far this season he has a whopping 5 points in 4 games.  Gray has carved out a nice career for himself despite being completely devoid of talent.  Being seven feet tall helps a lot.  Good for you, Aaron.

Sam Young

 

After almost 3 full seasons with the Grizzlies and a brief 14 game stint with the Sixers, Young played last season with the Pacers.  In 56 games he averaged 2.8 points in 12 minutes for a team that came within one win of the NBA Finals.  Lebron James had to go and ruin what would have been an epic battle of Blair vs Young for an NBA title.  Young signed with the Spurs but was waived before the season started.  He has just signed with the Sydney Kings of the National Basketball League.  The deal includes an NBA escape clause, but Young's NBA career might be over.  He is already 28, which is old man age in today's NBA.  Good luck in Sydney, Sam.

That's it for now.  In another post, I'll talk about what some other Pitt players are doing overseas and in the NBDL.

Hail to Pitt,

J.O.