Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 at 10:00 am  |  44 responses

Andray Blatche Quit on His Team

Blatche added to the Wizards’ many issues last night, when he got into a spat with head coach Flip Saunders. Bullets Forever takes a look: “Flip Saunders’ decision to bench Andray Blatche for the majority of tonight’s game stemmed from a disagreement in which Blatche said he didn’t want to play after Saunders took him to task for not getting back on defense, the coach told reporters after the game. Saunders said he took Blatche out of the game for not getting back in a transition sequence, forcing Mike Miller to pick up Blatche’s man. Blatche took issue to Saunders’ treatment, after which Saunders said if he didn’t want to be coached, he wouldn’t play. According to Saunders, Blatche said he didn’t want to play and repeated the phrase when assistant coaches approached him three different times. ‘In my fifteen years [of coaching], I’ve never seen anything like it,’ Saunders said. ‘I’m more disappointed in him that I’ve ever been with a player in my coaching career.’ Blatche had left the locker room by the time reporters came in. When asked whether Blatche would play in tomorrow’s game against the Pacers, Saunders said ‘I would doubt it right now. I don’t know, but I would doubt it,’ adding that Blatche will certainly be disciplined. It’s unclear which play Saunders is referencing, but it occurred early in the first quarter. Blatche was visibly absent from team huddles the rest of the game, often staring into the stands instead of into the huddle.”

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  • ConeyIslander Posted: Mar.24 at 10:09 am
    Who’s Andre Blatche? Does he play for the Toro’s or something? I don’t watch many D-league games forgive me.

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 10:25 am
    Saunders should have never publicly called out Blatche about Garnett. How can a general tell his soldier to back down from Garnett? Get at him in the locker room. Why is Saunders publicly throwing Blatche under the bus AGAIN?

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 10:26 am
    Garnett was right about Saunders.

  • kash Posted: Mar.24 at 10:33 am
    Blatche played Pippen to Millers Kukoc! I’m not kash btw

  • LDR4 Posted: Mar.24 at 10:49 am
    Who’s Andre Blatche? Really? He only one of two Wizards doing anything of note since they shipped everyone out. McGee being the other. The Miz might suck but you can’t be ignorant to the numbers Blatche has been putting up.

  • James aka... Posted: Mar.24 at 10:55 am
    Ricky davis put up numbers for a few years, and yet he’s gone. Talent is useless without discipline. This isn’t the rucker, this is the pro leagues

  • funkdoc Posted: Mar.24 at 11:16 am
    I agree. Always had the feeling that some day Blatche would fail again and mess it all up. This boy’s got talent, but have you heard him talk? Arrogant, not interested, wise ass, … I can understand why Saunders is this frustrated. If you see Blatche’s talent, you’re frustrated when he doesn’t wanna learn. And as a coach you always have the feeling you have some power.

  • Nick Gibson Posted: Mar.24 at 11:39 am
    Andray Blatche’s talent x .5 -bad attitude + work ethic = solid NBA player. This guy’s a moron.

  • CB 34 Posted: Mar.24 at 11:43 am
    the philosopher: So what if saunders went public? He has that right and Blatche can’t talk to Flip like he’s Nick young or Javale. Blatche was always a headcase and this isn’t the last incident. Blatche is the type of player who’s just about padding their stats and wallets. This guy doesn’t care about winning. Flip was right to do what he did. What the hell are you talking about again man?

  • LA Huey Posted: Mar.24 at 11:50 am
    “Quit on his team”? Mr Blatche, Warren Sapp would like a word with you.

  • letsmotor Posted: Mar.24 at 11:54 am
    “I’m more disappointed in him that I’ve ever been with a player in my coaching career.” Wow. Tough words from Flip.

  • Brad Long Posted: Mar.24 at 12:39 pm
    As much as I like Kevin Durant I dislike this douchenozzle. They should just demote him to the D-League for the rest of the year and let him avg. 40 a game and no one give a sh!t.

  • AL29 Posted: Mar.24 at 12:43 pm
    Co-sign Letsmotor. And to think, Flip once coached Latrell Sprewell and Michael Olowokandi.

  • smiles Posted: Mar.24 at 1:27 pm
    cosign Brad Long

  • Farman Posted: Mar.24 at 1:39 pm
    Just shows what this league is turning into. Andray Blatche has be sitting on the bench behind Jamieson for the past few years wanting for his moment to shine, and when they traded him, he finally gets his chance to show the team, the fans, and the league, who Andray Blache is. The guy is having a great month of basketball and all of a sudden his above the team and coach? His dumbass should be suspended for his actions. It doesn’t matter if you’re right or wrong. YOU LISTEN TO YOUR COACH REGARDLESS!!!!!! Whatever happen to respecting your boss? It’s so sad to see players given a little bit of freedom and watch how they respond……….

  • Hussman25 Posted: Mar.24 at 1:53 pm
    Str8 B**CH MOVE! (Riley Freeman voice)

  • onlyclipsfanonslam Posted: Mar.24 at 1:53 pm
    WAS needs a big man from the past to step in and tutor Blatche….Enter “My Giant”

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 2:10 pm
    CB34: Do you think Blatche would have pulled that stunt on Phil Jackson? Another question: Did you ever even hear of Phil Jackson publicly throwing guys under the bus?

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 2:14 pm
    CB34: And can you tell me what you mean by McGee and Nick Young? You’ve proved my point. Then, who listens to Flip? Oh, wait, the D – League players.

  • Tommy Patron Posted: Mar.24 at 3:27 pm
    @ the Philosopher: You can’t seriously be wondering that about Phil Jackson. His history is long and storied.

  • M Cho Posted: Mar.24 at 3:43 pm
    @the Philosopher: Are you saying that Phil Jax hasn’t thrown players under the bus? You gotta be kidding, right?

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 3:50 pm
    If he did, (Kobe) at least he got paid to do it. What is Saunders getting out of it? If a guy isn’t doing what you want him to do, sit him. Period. Stop crying to the press. You lose your team like that. That’s all I’m saying. And Flip don’t have rings, so…

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 4:05 pm
    Phil has credibility, Flip doesn’t.

  • Tommy Patron Posted: Mar.24 at 4:16 pm
    I’m not sure whether some folks know what they’re saying until after they’ve said it.

  • Seven Duece Posted: Mar.24 at 4:47 pm
    Not to be a jerk, but it’s amazing what height will do for someone. If he was 5’11″, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation; he’d be stocking shelves at WalMart.

  • wayno Posted: Mar.24 at 5:46 pm
    Dear Washington fans, please boo Andray Blatche every time he touches the ball for the rest of his time with the team. This moron is exactly what is wrong with the nBA. A wine @$$ b!tch with lots of talent, a terrible work ethic, and an even worse attitude. Seriously though, I feel bad for Flip to go from coaching a garaunteed 50+ win team and perennial playoff contender to coaching a team who’s superstar almost got in a gun fight in the locker room, and 3 of his other stars get traded. Flip was dealt a terrible hand this season…

  • wayno Posted: Mar.24 at 5:50 pm
    O yeah, @ the philosopher – If a player gets yelled at by his coach to get back on defense, then goes on to get all fussy and refuse to come back in the game then his coach better call him out publicly. I don’t care who the player is, that’s one of the biggest b!tch moves you can pull.

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 6:16 pm
    Filp has no cred, y’all. The great coaches don’t go through that like Flip has throughout his career. He’s choked before, he’s. Choking now. Do you think Arenas seriously, would have pulled this stunt on Popovich?

  • Allenp Posted: Mar.24 at 6:21 pm
    This was quite immature.
    While I think Saunders was wrong in the comment he initially made to Blatche, in now way does that justify refusing to go back into a close game.
    He really did quit on his teammates, and that will be remembered by them unless he does some serious damage control.
    But, then again, everybody said the Blatche would never blossom because he refused to work out, then they trade Jamison and the dude flat out explodes.
    So I can’t tell if dude was being held back by his own crappy attitude or by his team.

  • Allenp Posted: Mar.24 at 6:22 pm
    Also, I’m not sure that the coach is the player’s “boss” in the same way your supervisor is your boss at work.
    It doesn’t work exactly the same way.

  • matt Posted: Mar.24 at 7:10 pm
    why does almost every ballplayer, once they are in the league, become such prima donna’s ? i mean if you dont play defense , of course the coach is in your ear about it …. so stop complaining and start playing

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 7:15 pm
    Didn’t that Joe Smith quagmire occur on Flip’s watch?

  • barnabusb Posted: Mar.24 at 7:35 pm
    Saunders might not have as much cred as Phil, but this is one way he can try to get it. Letting Andray Blatche do what he wants would be a million times worse than calling him out and disciplining him for it. The kid needs to learn a lesson or three.

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 7:37 pm
    @ matt: The reason ballplayers become prima donas is because they were told since they were children that they’re the greatest children who’s ever lived, and they’ll be the greatest ballplayers who’s ever lived. And a lot of them believe this. Even when they get to the League. Even when they don’t get to the League.

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.24 at 7:48 pm
    barnabusb: Yeah, but, get him in the locker room, degrade him, question his manhood, anything he damn near wanted, but when you put an NBA guy “out there” like that in the press, that can damage a guy’s career. You see how Larry Brown handled Allen I. John Thompson knew how to handle guys masterfully, also. Stephen Jackson. Flip don’t “got it”, and Garnett said it.

  • the nerve Posted: Mar.24 at 9:10 pm
    l bet if he knew it’s not a job and if he quit theres no unemployment.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Mar.24 at 10:12 pm
    Brad I’m pretty sure people would care if ANYONE averaged 40 ppg in the D-League… lol.
    It’s a bad move any time anyone goes to the press against their own team member, be it a coach or a teammate. However, Blatche really needs to change his attitude. Flip really didn’t do much wrong this time.
    Now for some shameless self-promotion, no this is not spam: I know SLAM has a lot of hip-hop heads here, so if anyone is interested in checking out music/coverage from rap’s golden age, as well as new artists today that produce REAL hip-hop, check out our blog.
    I’M LINKED UP!

  • Ronald Posted: Mar.25 at 1:11 am
    @Philosopher: It seems like your blaming EVERYONE but Andre. No one forced him to quit on his team. Not his background, not his parents, not his coaches, not his friends. But he just plainly refused to do what he is paid to do. If this was a normal workplace he’d be fired already. And the argument that Saunders doesn’t have the “credibility” that Pop and PhilJax have doesn’t seem to make much sense as Andre is paid to listen to the coach regardless of the coaches “cred”.

  • CB 34 Posted: Mar.25 at 2:58 am
    the philosopher: here you go ranting again about stuff you don’t know. Flip did what he did and that was the only move. Phil does get on his players publicly and sometimes not even doing it privately. Flip may not be P-Jax but he is one of the respected coaches in the league and will always have a job waiting if he gets canned. Blatche deserved this and there are no two ways about it. And if this happened under Pop’s watch, he would have killed him in the media and he never would have played for the rest of the season. Think before you speak man.

  • wayno Posted: Mar.25 at 9:12 am
    @ the Philosopher – Flip has “no cred” but Andray Blatche does? Seriously, Blatche was a nobody in the league until a few months ago and he still hasn’t established himself in the league. Flip has coached 2 different teams to the conference finals and has had multiple winning seasons. He doesn’t have a chip and he’s no P-Jax or Pop, but he’s a pretty good coach in the league.

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.25 at 9:25 am
    Wayno: You’re right about Blatche not having any cred, either. So, a guy with basically no clout is clowning Flip. CB34: When Stephen Jackson was acting all crazy on Popovich’s watch, what happened next? Did he go to the press, did he get Jackson off the team?

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.25 at 9:38 am
    @ronald: It’s not that I don’t blame Blatche, but, Flip has been clowning Blatche all year. If Blatche isn’t doing it for you, sit him. Pull a D’Antoni. Trade him.

  • BostonBaller Posted: Mar.25 at 10:41 am
    again, did Flip go to the press or did they ask him a question which he answered? you never quit on your team, regardless of your feelings about something said. as far as his talent, we will have to wait and see what he really has b/c he is playing with washington who doesn’t have much talent which means more minutes and somewhat inflated numbers. with all of the shots they miss as a team you have to figure he would get more rebounds and shots should be plentiful so that increases his chances to score. How many times have a player blown up on a bad team, get a nice new contract on a better team then seemingly fizzle out? They didn’t fizzle they were just exposed. I’m not saying Batche will fizzle i’m just saying let’s wait and see.

  • The Philosopher Posted: Mar.25 at 11:35 am
    CB34: You are mighty silent over there. Where are you? Your man Flip isn’t looking too good right now.

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