<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Odartey Blankson did what he said he would do -- play hard -- at last week's Portsmouth Invitational NBA predraft camp. Whether that was enough to advance his cause for a future in the league remains to be seen. The UNLV senior had so-so statistics in his first two games at Portsmouth, Va., scoring six points in each game and totaling 13 rebounds. But in his final game Saturday, the 6-foot-7-inch forward compiled 21 points and 10 rebounds in 25 minutes, helping his team win the consolation game. Blankson played small forward on a Portsmouth roster that included Oklahoma State's Ivan McFarlin, Cincinnati's Jason Maxiell and Washington's Will Conroy. "He played very well," NBA director of scouting Marty Blake. "He played hard and he impressed everyone." Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak also said Blankson gave a good account of himself. "He has an NBA body and a great work ethic," Kupchak said. "He wasn't in the top three or four who stood out, and he wasn't in the 15 who couldn't play, He's in the middle of the pack." An Eastern Conference scout who watched Blankson play several times for UNLV said, "He didn't hurt himself, but he is what he is -- an undersized (power forward) who doesn't have the ball skills to play in the NBA. The scout, who requested anonymity, said, "I think he'd be a very good overseas player," but added that Blankson could land on an NBA roster for the Vegas Summer League to be held July 6 thought July 15 at Cox Pavilion. Sixteen teams will field rosters comprised largely of free agents and rookies. Blankson said he was mostly satisfied with his Portsmouth performance. </div> Source
