Orlando Sanchez
F, 6-9, 220
Senior, 26 years old
Hometown: Nague, Dominican Republic
Notable: After working—both in the Dominican Republic and Spain—as a teenager to support his family, Sanchez graduated high school at the age of 21 and then enrolled at Monroe College (JC). He then transferred from Monroe to St. John’s and was initially ruled ineligible by the NCAA last fall. But the decision was eventually reversed, and Sanchez was allowed to suit up for the Red Storm. The eligibility issue was nothing nefarious; Sanchez simply logged four minutes of playing time with the Dominican Republic national team in 2010, but since he was over the age of 21, those four minutes counted as one full year of college eligibility.
The decision was reversed, and after graduating high school at the age of 21 and then playing at Monroe College for two years, Sanchez is finally at St. John’s.
Season (21.8 mpg): 7.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.1 BPG
50% FG (5.6 attempts)
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St. John’s 67, Bucknell 63
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 | Carnesecca Arena (Queens, NY)
Orlando Sanchez —F, 6-9, 220
Senior, 26 years old
Season: 6.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.3 APG
Game: 6 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists
Outlook: I’d never heard of Sanchez before watching him vs. Bucknell. And after observing him compete for only 23 minutes against a mid-major team, I do not have much of a feel for his NBA prospects.
I’m not saying he’s an NBA player, but to me, even at the age of 25, Sanchez should at least be viewed through an NBA lens. He has solid agility and quickness for his 6-9 frame, can put the ball on the floor inside the 3-point line, and has the power to dunk through defenders. Physically, Sanchez stood out like a 12th grader playing with the Freshmen Team… True, that kind of was the reality, but still, Sanchez has a unique skill set, and in his first full season at St. John’s, I think it’s worth the time and resources to take a look at him.
Syracuse 68, St. John’s 63
Sunday, December 15, 2013 | Madison Square Garden (New York, NY)
Orlando Sanchez — F, 6-9, 220
Senior, 26 years old
Season (21.4 mpg): 6.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG
Game (28 min): 6 points, 7 rebounds
Outlook: The more I watch Sanchez, the more I’m confused. He has neither a defined position nor a consistent skill set. Sanchez shoots 3-pointers, but also tries to back his man down. He plays on the perimeter but also in the paint. He has “skills” from both the perimeter and paint, but not in a particularly impressive way. Plus, he’s going to be 26 years old at the time of the Draft.
Sanchez provides a needed scoring punch and good size for this St. John’s team, but he needs to show more for NBA consideration. I don’t think he’ll get drafted for his “ability” to take his man off the dribble from the perimeter.
What bothers me most is that Sanchez has complete freedom in St. John’s’ offense, so it’s really all on him. He’s on a stage to display his talents, but I don’t see it at this age.
Video: Scoring vs. Syracuse, Fordham
Video: Poor Rebounding Fundamentals