Andray Blatche is an athletic kid who measures in at 6'11'' and 248 lbs. Sounds kind of like flash backs of the 2004 draft, doesn’t it? Blatche is known for his quickness on the defensive end, which helps him block and alter a large number of shots. He is very lengthy, and his arms remind of Tayshaun Prince in this regard. This kid could give opposing players fits on defense, which makes him a fit to play alongside Dwight Howard. On the offensive side of the ball, the kid can stroke the ball… period. Not only does he have NBA 3 point range, but his shot is fundamentally sound. You can see he has the form of a shooter just by watching him take jumpers. The kid has a great back-to-the-basket game, which includes a beautiful fade away and a very nice baby hook in the lane. He could stand to add a few more moves he can rely on constantly, but same can be said for every HS kid. He is almost automatic with his jumper out to college three-point line, but he needs to improve his quickness off the dribble to become a great big man. He is very quick on his feet, but at the next level he will have to step it up. Blatche also has great handles for a kid his size, which in some cases helps him get around other much slower big men. The thing I love most about Andray, however, is his great passing skill. He senses double teams and can find the open guy seven out of ten times. He is very advanced in that particular area. You shouldn’t assume that Blatche got through his school using his jump shot only, because that is not the case at all. The HS All-Star games featured him in the post almost every play, where he absolutely took it to the opposing team. Blatche is also gifted with the ability to jump up very quickly, giving him an advantage in shooting over the guy defending him. This ability also makes it extremely hard for the opposing team to stop him from snagging offensive and defensive rebounds. Andray has the ability to fly down court, which is great for any fast break team. Blatche was 6'11'' last time he was measured. However, it is believed he may have grown to be 7'0 by now. If he can put on some bulk and improve his game in the post, he has a chance to be a great NBA player. Howard and Blatche would finally put the pieces of the Magic frontcourt together. I think he possesses everything in a big man the Magic need: the speed, the quickness, offensive and defensive skills, and amazing rebounding and shot blocking abilities.
