Dragan Bender - 97 born Croatian prospect

Von Bismarck · Post #41 » by **Von Bismarck** » Sun Jun 7, 2015 5:26 pm

Bender can do literally anything. Standing at the age of 17 (11/17/1997), he's already as tall and as heavy as Porzingis (7,1 and 220-230lbs). He's a true definition of Point Forward. He can shoot, drive, poster dunk, he has good legs to guard smaller players, he can pass, he can organize, and has incredibly high basketball IQ.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/adi ... nder-5061/

HeartBreakKid · Post #42 » by **HeartBreakKid** » Sun Jun 7, 2015 10:47 pm

Von Bismarck wrote:Bender can do literally anything. Standing at the age of 17 (11/17/1997), he's already as tall and as heavy as Porzingis (7,1 and 220-230lbs). He's a true definition of Point Forward. He can shoot, drive, poster dunk, he has good legs to guard smaller players, he can pass, he can organize, and has incredibly high basketball IQ.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/adi ... nder-5061/

Why not center instead of a forward?

Mr-Al · Post #43 » by **Mr-Al** » Mon Jun 8, 2015 4:08 am

Holy ****. A Dragon Bender?

The Avatar is screwed

franckyvinvin12 · Post #44 » by **franckyvinvin12** » Mon Jun 8, 2015 7:47 am

Let's not get carried away calling him 7'1. He was measured 6'11 with shoes last year at the Eurocamp, and so he's 6'11 until proven otherwise. He might have grow up, but I'll believe it when official measurements come out.

Rosque · Post #45 » by **Rosque** » Mon Jun 8, 2015 7:33 pm

"Quick Hitters

-Elite 1997 prospect Dragan Bender measured 6'11.5 without shoes with a 7'2 wingspan and a 216-pound frame.

From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/#ixzz3cV7VN0bF
http://www.draftexpress.com

"

Will be a legit 7 footer by the time he turns 18.

Cro_Ruption · Post #46 » by **Cro_Ruption** » Mon Jun 8, 2015 7:36 pm

where is croatia getting all this talent from? Is Bender even a croatian last name?

Von Bismarck · Post #47 » by **Von Bismarck** » Tue Jun 9, 2015 9:26 am

It is probably connected to Germanic surname 'Bender'. But in Croatia, Bender's are almost exclusively Croats, same goes for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Where do they get it? You forgot Croatia is the birthplace of people like Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovic, Dino Radja. Bogut is fully blooded Croat as well. Even Peja Stojakovic comes from Croatia, even though he's an ethnic Serbs.

Anyhow, I think it has something to do with people from 'Dinaric Alps' region being the tallest people in the world on average. So that's why you can see so many talented Croats, Serbs and the rest.

franckyvinvin12 · Post #48 » by **franckyvinvin12** » Tue Jun 9, 2015 11:43 am

Well he's officially a 7 footer now, 7'0.5 in shoes. With his mobility and outside game, he could be a real mismatch as a real stretch 4 (I don't like 4s that can shoot but can't actually play outside). Right now he looks like a taller Mirotic, which is promising. Let's see how he develops next year, and please don't try to turn him into a 3 :nonono:

Cro_Ruption · Post #49 » by **Cro_Ruption** » Tue Jun 9, 2015 6:13 pm

Von Bismarck wrote:It is probably connected to Germanic surname 'Bender'. But in Croatia, Bender's are almost exclusively Croats, same goes for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Where do they get it? You forgot Croatia is the birthplace of people like Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovic, Dino Radja. Bogut is fully blooded Croat as well. Even Peja Stojakovic comes from Croatia, even though he's an ethnic Serbs.

Anyhow, I think it has something to do with people from 'Dinaric Alps' region being the tallest people in the world on average. So that's why you can see so many talented Croats, Serbs and the rest.

Thanks for the explanation. I'm full blooded croat from bosnia as well.

Great to see all this great talent coming out for such a small country.

Post #50 » by **NO-KG-AI** » Tue Jun 9, 2015 8:33 pm

Cro_Ruption wrote:
Von Bismarck wrote:It is probably connected to Germanic surname 'Bender'. But in Croatia, Bender's are almost exclusively Croats, same goes for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Where do they get it? You forgot Croatia is the birthplace of people like Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovic, Dino Radja. Bogut is fully blooded Croat as well. Even Peja Stojakovic comes from Croatia, even though he's an ethnic Serbs.

Anyhow, I think it has something to do with people from 'Dinaric Alps' region being the tallest people in the world on average. So that's why you can see so many talented Croats, Serbs and the rest.

Thanks for the explanation. I'm full blooded croat from bosnia as well.

Great to see all this great talent coming out for such a small country.

It's really crazy when you think about it. The NBA has been trying to tap the massive population countries (India, China) to create a talent pipeline, and one of the biggest contributors to basketball talent worldwide, has always been two that are really small (Croatia, Lithuania). I would love to go to know how tapped into basketball their average fan is. It seems like with so many of their kids growing up to do big things, basketball wise, the sport must be huge, and have massive followings.

Von Bismarck · Post #51 » by **Von Bismarck** » Tue Jun 9, 2015 8:58 pm

NO-KG-AI wrote:
Cro_Ruption wrote:
Von Bismarck wrote:It is probably connected to Germanic surname 'Bender'. But in Croatia, Bender's are almost exclusively Croats, same goes for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Where do they get it? You forgot Croatia is the birthplace of people like Toni Kukoc, Drazen Petrovic, Dino Radja. Bogut is fully blooded Croat as well. Even Peja Stojakovic comes from Croatia, even though he's an ethnic Serbs.

Anyhow, I think it has something to do with people from 'Dinaric Alps' region being the tallest people in the world on average. So that's why you can see so many talented Croats, Serbs and the rest.

Thanks for the explanation. I'm full blooded croat from bosnia as well.

Great to see all this great talent coming out for such a small country.

It's really crazy when you think about it. The NBA has been trying to tap the massive population countries (India, China) to create a talent pipeline, and one of the biggest contributors to basketball talent worldwide, has always been two that are really small (Croatia, Lithuania). I would love to go to know how tapped into basketball their average fan is. It seems like with so many of their kids growing up to do big things, basketball wise, the sport must be huge, and have massive followings.

Actually not. I'm American living in Croatia for some time now. Even though basketball is no.2 sport there, Croatia is football country. Croats are actually top 10 in Europe in quite a few sports; football, basketball, handball, waterpolo, skiing and so on. About Croatian basketball players, well let's say it's a gift of nature

Kabookalu · Post #52 » by **Kabookalu** » Tue Jun 9, 2015 9:42 pm

A taller Mirotic is practically an all star.

I'm hoping the Raptors can somehow acquire him next years draft.

thamadkant · Post #53 » by **thamadkant** » Tue Jun 9, 2015 10:13 pm

Great name too..

Dragon Bender!!

Mustinjo · Post #54 » by **Mustinjo** » Tue Jun 9, 2015 10:28 pm

Von Bismarck wrote:
NO-KG-AI wrote:
Cro_Ruption wrote:
Thanks for the explanation. I'm full blooded croat from bosnia as well.

Great to see all this great talent coming out for such a small country.

It's really crazy when you think about it. The NBA has been trying to tap the massive population countries (India, China) to create a talent pipeline, and one of the biggest contributors to basketball talent worldwide, has always been two that are really small (Croatia, Lithuania). I would love to go to know how tapped into basketball their average fan is. It seems like with so many of their kids growing up to do big things, basketball wise, the sport must be huge, and have massive followings.

Actually not. I'm American living in Croatia for some time now. Even though basketball is no.2 sport there, Croatia is football country. Croats are actually top 10 in Europe in quite a few sports; football, basketball, handball, waterpolo, skiing and so on. About Croatian basketball players, well let's say it's a gift of nature

Honestly, I'm not even sure if is basketball still #2 here. Our national team hasn't won a single medal for 20 years and our club basketball is in dire straits these days. Luckily, we have some amazing talents born in period from 94 to 97 (Saric, Hezonja, Bender, Zizic to name a few) so hope is still there that basketball can be popular as it once was (before Petrovic died).

Kabookalu · Post #55 » by **Kabookalu** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:04 pm

For those that follow him closely, how is his work ethic like? This kid is brimming with potential, can see him as a mix of Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki, though that all depends on his passion for the game.

Mustinjo · Post #56 » by **Mustinjo** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 10:45 pm

No worries there. He's a great kid and he loves playing basketball, you'll rarely meet someone that talented having no ego and being as humble as he is.

Bernman · Post #57 » by **Bernman** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 12:07 am

Choker wrote:For those that follow him closely, how is his work ethic like? This kid is brimming with potential, can see him as a mix of Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki, though that all depends on his passion for the game.

Between highlights, and stats, he's come across to me as more of a much less wussy Pau.

Dirk hardly makes up the toughness difference. But Dirk had a far better perimeter game at this point. He was playing point forward and regularly drilling 3's. Bender can't play point forward and shooting is a more occasional thing he does. He's much more of a true interior player, with good outside skills, for a big.

I think mixing in Bosh, for example, would be much more warranted.

pohani komarac · Post #58 » by **pohani komarac** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 4:07 am

I would say his style is mix of Kukoc and Kirilenko

Kabookalu · Post #59 » by **Kabookalu** » Thu Jun 11, 2015 12:30 pm

Sounds like he's going to be a star lol.

Yeah admittingly I haven't watched a whole lot of him, and the ones I did watch he showed off some impressive perimeter skills, hence the Dirk comparisons. I'm fascinated by his footwork around the bucket, kids that young are never that skilled in the post. And his passing has almost been Sabonis like.

Plus, the big thing for me about him is that he's very mobile and willing to guard the perimeter. In today's NBA that seems where basketball is trending towards; having your big men being mobile enough to go out and guard the pick and roll and some perimeter players from time to time.

kuly1990 · Post #60 » by **kuly1990** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:45 am

Basketball is not a number two sport in croatia for a long time, i hope with Hezonja, Saric and Bender with mix of Bogdanovic, Tomic and others will change that...