Last Updated on July 26, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Height never stopped DeJuan Blair from carving out rebounding position, because he consistently beat bigger opponents to the spot with sharp anticipation, strong leverage, and impeccable timing. Around the basket he relied on quick hands, clever footwork, and an instinct for tracking loose balls, giving his teams a rugged interior presence that routinely created extra possessions.

Here’s a detailed profile of DeJuan Blair:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: DeJuan Lamont Blair
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born April 22, 1989
  • Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 meters)
  • Weight: 270 lbs (122 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 meters)
  • Shoe Size: US size 17
  • Number: Most notably wore 45
  • Position: Power Forward / Center
  • High School: Schenley High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
    • Blair led his high school team to a state championship and earned McDonald’s All-American honors.
  • College: University of Pittsburgh (2007–2009)
    • A two-time All-Big East selection and named the Big East Co-Player of the Year in 2009.
  • NBA Draft: Selected 37th overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
  • Teams Played For:
    1. San Antonio Spurs (2009–2013)
    2. Dallas Mavericks (2013–2014)
    3. Washington Wizards (2014–2016)
    4. Brief stints with international teams in China and Venezuela after his NBA career.
  • Championship Rings: None in the NBA but was part of championship-contending teams with the Spurs.
  • Kids: Blair has children but has kept his personal life relatively private.
  • Siblings: Blair has a younger sister named Shavonne.

Player Archetype / Play Style

DeJuan Blair’s player archetype was that of an undersized bruiser big, a power-based interior forward who made his living through rebounding, leverage, and nonstop physical play around the basket. Defensively, he fit as a rugged interior presence who battled on the glass, used his strength to hold ground in the paint, and disrupted plays with positioning more than vertical rim protection. Offensively, Blair operated as a low-post finisher and second-chance scorer, creating value through deep seals, putbacks, and interior touch rather than face-up creation or floor spacing. Physically, he was only 6-foot-7 but carried a wide, powerful frame, unusually long arms, and the kind of natural strength that let him play bigger than his height. His play style was built on force, rebounding instincts, interior toughness, and constant contact, making him the sort of frontcourt player who could overwhelm taller opponents with effort, balance, and sheer physicality. (NBADraft)

Scouting Report

DeJuan Blair played with an unusual rhythm for an undersized interior player because he never seemed rushed, even when the defence expected him to be. What stands out is how often he won possessions before the shot went up rather than after it, carving out rebounding position early with a low base and exceptional balance instead of relying on vertical explosion. Offensively he was most comfortable working from short rolls, duck-ins and quick post seals where he could use subtle shoulder fakes, pivots and soft touch around the rim, and while he wasn’t stretching the floor, he could keep an offence moving by making the simple pass once help collapsed or by slipping into open space after screening. The interesting thing is that opponents often knew exactly where he wanted to operate, yet moving him off his spot was another matter entirely. Defensively the trade-off was obvious. He could absorb contact against stronger post scorers and held his ground better than many bigger centres, but his lack of length narrowed his margin for error whenever he had to contest over size or recover after being pulled into space. In drop coverage he depended on positioning and timing more than reach, and quicker guards could force difficult decisions by attacking his hips before he established his stance. That’s where the limitations showed up most clearly. To me, Blair fit best alongside a mobile rim protector who could erase plays above the rim while allowing him to concentrate on physical box-outs, interior scoring and cleaning the glass. His offensive rebounding repeatedly generated extra possessions because he anticipated where misses would fall rather than simply chasing them. There were shades of Paul Millsap in the way he used leverage and craft inside, although without the same shooting range, while his relentless work around the basket also echoed Reggie Evans, particularly in how he turned strength, timing and persistence into tangible production despite giving away height almost every night.

Fun Facts

  • Known for his rebounding ability and toughness in the post, Blair was effective despite being undersized for his position.
  • Played a key role for the Spurs during multiple playoff runs.
  • Career highlight: Recorded a 20-point, 20-rebound game in his rookie season despite not having ACLs in both knees due to a unique medical condition.

Sources:

Pitt Panthers — DeJuan Blair – Men’s Basketball – Pitt Panthers #H2P
NBA Draft — DeJuan Blair
Basketball-Reference — DeJuan Blair Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more