NBA: 30 best careers from players who skipped college

30 best careers from players who skipped college – 27. Andray Blatche

For some players, the allure of potential never sees the light of day. For others, it proves to be an illusion. For Andray Blatche, when he saw the court and had the opportunity, his potential shone through. The problem was all of the other forces vying to snatch that opportunity away.

As a high school player ranked in the top 5 nationally, Blatche was absolutely dominant on both ends of the court. Despite slipping to the second round in the 2005 draft, he had a chance to make an immediate impression for a Washington Wizards team in need of a jolt of talent. Unfortunately for him, however, he was shot during a carjacking and missed training camp.

A couple of years later, Blatche had recovered and shown his potential, playing in the NBA’s Developmental League and was preparing to sign a new contract to stay with the Wizards. Then he was arrested on sexual solicitation charges, delaying the signing of that contract.

And so it went. He broke out and eventually became a starter for the Wizards, averaging as many as 16.8 points per game in 2010-11. He was also part of an immature roster that didn’t seem to take basketball seriously at times. He was there when two teammates fought in the locker room and a gun was pulled.

That talented roster never put things together, and Blatche was eventually waived. Conditioning issues plagued him as he tried to hang on to his career with the Brooklyn Nets, scoring in spurts when he had the minutes but rarely receiving them. He eventually left the NBA and plied his trade in China, where he got the minutes and shots he wanted. In total, he lasted nine years in the NBA.