Dragan Bender - 97 born Croatian prospect

[har13]

Top teams in Europe(cska,barca,real,panathinaikos,osfp,maccabi) never use young players end of story .I don't know much about Bender but i can easily believe my friend from Croatia(i hope we beat you ) that if he played for Cibona he could be their leader.if Zizic was in Maccabi he would be like Bender(bench warmer like all big prospects).

[Mirotic12]

Top teams in Europe(cska,barca,real,panathinaikos,osfp,maccabi) never use young players end of story .I don't know much about Bender but i can easily believe my friend from Croatia(i hope we beat you ) that if he played for Cibona he could be their leader.if Zizic was in Maccabi he would be like Bender(bench warmer like all big prospects).

Olympiacos and Efes give young players playing time all the time. Also, you only mentioned a small amount of teams in Europe. There are hundreds of teams in Europe, and YES, young players tend to get more playing time through Europe than ever happens with young players in the NBA. Guys in high school are always getting playing time in European clubs - every year many high school players do.

And the players on mock drafts every year - barely any of them play in the clubs you mentioned.

Even some guys in junior high age get playing time.

Yes, high school kids won't get much playing time generally in big European clubs. But that is not "Europe". 7-8 teams or whatever does not equate to "Europe", and it is just flat out totally 100% wrong for people to keep claiming that it does. Especially when they also will use similar claims if it involves some prospect playing limited minutes in a small club in France or Serbia, or wherever. People make the claim as a blanket statement that "in Europe, young players never get to play, and veterans always play over them, even when the veteran players are worse, because they only let veteran players play". That claim is all over US sports media, and twitter accounts of US sports writers and reporters, and all over any website relating to draft prospects. And it's absolutely 100% not true and totally false. It's a made up BS nonsense claim.

A few exceptions, like Bender being in a bigger club, don't allow then for untrue and false stereotypes and myths to be perpetuated
as facts, because they are actually untrue generalizations.

End of story.

[skywalker33]

Heard Bender can play either forward position, true ?? He seems too big/slow to play SF but with his length, could be possible ...

[JMac1]

Heard Bender can play either forward position, true ?? He seems too big/slow to play SF but with his length, could be possible ...

Obviously you haven't heard of Youtube, too slow, too big? Nah

[Mirotic12]

Heard Bender can play either forward position, true ?? He seems too big/slow to play SF but with his length, could be possible ...

Heard Bender can play either forward position, true ?? He seems too big/slow to play SF but with his length, could be possible ...

Obviously you haven't heard of Youtube, too slow, too big? Nah

He's strictly a PF. The reports saying he can play SF or C are definitely false as far as I am concerned. He does not have any of the makeup up or traits you want in a SF, so there is no reason of any kind whatsoever to play him at SF. He's way too weak to ever be a C also, other than a small ball stretch 5 in certain lineups. Even then, it would be years down the road before he could handle that physically.

He's pretty much without any question at all a PF. His position is pretty much extremely obvious, and he's nothing remotely resembling a tweener or a combo forward.

[Von Bismarck]

I agree he won't be able to play SF but disagree he won't be able to play C at some point in his career. He's only 18 and he has a really good frame so in 6 or 7 years when his body matures fully, he will be able to play the C effectively and his elite switching ability will thrive then.

But yeah, for the first 3-5 years, he's strictly PF.

[JMac1]

Heard Bender can play either forward position, true ?? He seems too big/slow to play SF but with his length, could be possible ...

Heard Bender can play either forward position, true ?? He seems too big/slow to play SF but with his length, could be possible ...

Obviously you haven't heard of Youtube, too slow, too big? Nah

He's strictly a PF. The reports saying he can play SF or C are definitely false as far as I am concerned. He does not have any of the makeup up or traits you want in a SF, so there is no reason of any kind whatsoever to play him at SF. He's way too weak to ever be a C also, other than a small ball stretch 5 in certain lineups. Even then, it would be years down the road before he could handle that physically.

He's pretty much without any question at all a PF. His position is pretty much extremely obvious, and he's nothing remotely resembling a tweener or a combo forward.

You missed than CAN part. Yes he can guard SF's, that isn't even a question in his game. His defensive versatility makes him so intriguing. Will that be his position? no. Can you move him to SF at times yes, why? Because he can handle the ball and shoot and guard SF, simple. Would he be LBJ at SF or PG, no.



He isn't too big or too slow to play SF, especially right now.

[Mustinjo]

Versus a certain matchups he can certainly guard SFs and even Cs, not to mention that down the road center could absolutely be his primary position.

[Apollo64]

The issue with Bender is that he is years away physically from being able to play in the NBA. It's understandable for teams to be weary to use a top pick on someone who is going to take 3-4 years in order to be good. It might take less, but i think that's unlikely.

If/When he pans out though...

[Von Bismarck]

That was also being said about Porzingis. That he's miles ready from being able to play in the NBA and then guess what.

Bender is about the same weight for his height as Porzigis was when he was drafted.

Besides, skinny as his is, you immediately get 3&D player who's also a good passer with great footwork and lenght.

[Mustinjo]

The issue with Bender is that he is years away physically from being able to play in the NBA. It's understandable for teams to be weary to use a top pick on someone who is going to take 3-4 years in order to be good. It might take less, but i think that's unlikely.

If/When he pans out though...

I'd rather have a guy for whom it'll take a year or two to get physically strong enough to contribute but with enough skills and bbiq from the get-go than a guy who's an athlete but needs to learn how to play proper basketball first.
Almost everybody improves from a physical standpoint once they get in NBA, but a lot of guys don't improve their feel and all-around skill to a sufficient level to be productive enough in this league.

[Mirotic12]

I agree he won't be able to play SF but disagree he won't be able to play C at some point in his career. He's only 18 and he has a really good frame so in 6 or 7 years when his body matures fully, he will be able to play the C effectively and his elite switching ability will thrive then.

But yeah, for the first 3-5 years, he's strictly PF.

That's the same thing I'm saying. Several years down the road, say when he is in his mid 20s, I could see him being an effective small ball stretch 5. But for now, and the next few years, I seriously doubt it.

SF is just not a realistic option.

You missed than CAN part. Yes he can guard SF's, that isn't even a question in his game. His defensive versatility makes him so intriguing. Will that be his position? no. Can you move him to SF at times yes, why? Because he can handle the ball and shoot and guard SF, simple. Would he be LBJ at SF or PG, no.

He isn't too big or too slow to play SF, especially right now.

He's not going to play SF. He's 18 years old, and Maccabi didn't even attempt to play him at SF, as far I saw. If they didn't try it when he was 18, then it's not happening.

That was also being said about Porzingis. That he's miles ready from being able to play in the NBA and then guess what.

Bender is about the same weight for his height as Porzigis was when he was drafted.

Besides, skinny as his is, you immediately get 3&D player who's also a good passer with great footwork and lenght.

No one that actually objectively follows both European basketball and the NBA thought that though about Porzingis. That came entirely and solely from the NBA only point of view. For people that actually objectively watch the leagues Porzingis was playing in (Eurocup -level below Euroleague, and ACB - first tier in Spain), and also watch NBA objectively, so therefore they can make a realistic comparison, and not one that comes solely from NBA only world view and paradigm - that talk about Porzingis was basically totally ridiculous.

Just because people that base everything in the NBA only viewpoint say something is a fact about basketball, does not actually mean it is a fact. No one objective could possibly think Porzingis was years away from contributing in the NBA, unless they automatically had that, "NBA is a billion times better than European basketball" myth falsely ingrained into their psyche.

I don't think people saying that about Porzingis before he was drafted is relevant, because the people that said that never had an actually relevant point to begin with, and clearly the people that said that have zero knowledge about European basketball.

[Novocaine]

The issue with Bender is that he is years away physically from being able to play in the NBA. It's understandable for teams to be weary to use a top pick on someone who is going to take 3-4 years in order to be good. It might take less, but i think that's unlikely.

If/When he pans out though...

That's absurd. In 3-4 years, he'll be near his physical peak. Bender is as physically ready as the overwhelming majority of 18 years old 7 footers, and actually a bit above the median. There are outliers, for better or for worse, he's just in the curve. He'll be disadvantaged during his 1st year, but that's true for almost every big who enters the league at his age. There's nothing particularly notable about Bender's readiness.

[Mirotic12]

The issue with Bender is that he is years away physically from being able to play in the NBA. It's understandable for teams to be weary to use a top pick on someone who is going to take 3-4 years in order to be good. It might take less, but i think that's unlikely.

If/When he pans out though...

That's absurd. In 3-4 years, he'll be near his physical peak. Bender is as physically ready as the overwhelming majority of 18 years old 7 footers, and actually a bit above the median. There are outliers, for better or for worse, he's just in the curve. He'll be disadvantaged during his 1st year, but that's true for almost every big who enters the league at his age. There's nothing particularly notable about Bender's readiness.

Physical peak for pro basketball players usually starts around 24, 23 at the earliest. So he's more than 3-4 years away from his physical peak.

[Apollo64]

Nah, he is still way too weak and young to play. Reasonable estimate is that he won't get much playing time in the first couple of years (i.e won't be a starter). Porzingis at his age was more athletic and aggressive, what also really helped him was that he grew to 7'2''+. Can the same thing happen with Bender? Anyway, i'd be happy to be wrong, because i like his game and what he can possibly offer a team in the future.

[Mirotic12]

Nah, he is still way too weak and young to play. Reasonable estimate is that he won't get much playing time in the first couple of years (i.e won't be a starter). Porzingis at his age was more athletic and aggressive, what also really helped him was that he grew to 7'2''+. Can the same thing happen with Bender? Anyway, i'd be happy to be wrong, because i like his game and what he can possibly offer a team in the future.

Porzingis did not grow. He simply went from being listed barefoot 7-1 and change (Europe) to in shoes 7-3 (NBA).

[JMac1]

I agree he won't be able to play SF but disagree he won't be able to play C at some point in his career. He's only 18 and he has a really good frame so in 6 or 7 years when his body matures fully, he will be able to play the C effectively and his elite switching ability will thrive then.

But yeah, for the first 3-5 years, he's strictly PF.

That's the same thing I'm saying. Several years down the road, say when he is in his mid 20s, I could see him being an effective small ball stretch 5. But for now, and the next few years, I seriously doubt it.

SF is just not a realistic option.

You missed than CAN part. Yes he can guard SF's, that isn't even a question in his game. His defensive versatility makes him so intriguing. Will that be his position? no. Can you move him to SF at times yes, why? Because he can handle the ball and shoot and guard SF, simple. Would he be LBJ at SF or PG, no.

He isn't too big or too slow to play SF, especially right now.

He's not going to play SF. He's 18 years old, and Maccabi didn't even attempt to play him at SF, as far I saw. If they didn't try it when he was 18, then it's not happening.

That was also being said about Porzingis. That he's miles ready from being able to play in the NBA and then guess what.

Bender is about the same weight for his height as Porzigis was when he was drafted.

Besides, skinny as his is, you immediately get 3&D player who's also a good passer with great footwork and lenght.

No one that actually objectively follows both European basketball and the NBA thought that though about Porzingis. That came entirely and solely from the NBA only point of view. For people that actually objectively watch the leagues Porzingis was playing in (Eurocup -level below Euroleague, and ACB - first tier in Spain), and also watch NBA objectively, so therefore they can make a realistic comparison, and not one that comes solely from NBA only world view and paradigm - that talk about Porzingis was basically totally ridiculous.

Just because people that base everything in the NBA only viewpoint say something is a fact about basketball, does not actually mean it is a fact. No one objective could possibly think Porzingis was years away from contributing in the NBA, unless they automatically had that, "NBA is a billion times better than European basketball" myth falsely ingrained into their psyche.

I don't think people saying that about Porzingis before he was drafted is relevant, because the people that said that never had an actually relevant point to begin with, and clearly the people that said that have zero knowledge about European basketball.

So, why would the Suns try to develop both Bender AND Chriss in the coming years? Both are young. Bender is just 18 while Chriss is just turning 19 this summer. Both will spend the majority of the 2016-17 season as 19 year old rookies. Both are multi-skilled in that they can shoot, score and defend but have not played a lot of high level basketball and so will experience some serious growing pains.

Could they actually play together, though?

Maybe. Many have hinted that Bender's skills fit at the 3 and the 4, while others have hinted that Chriss could play either position as well.

Both fit the mold of the modern NBA front court player in that they have a lot of small man skills in huge bodies. Chriss is 6'10" and already weighs 230+ pounds. Bender is 7'1" and rail-thin, but has a reputation of fighting hard on every play and using whatever muscle he has to get the board.

Reportedly, Bender is a great passer while Chriss is a great finisher. Could we see some alley-oops and pick-and-rolls in their future?

Let's see.

I guess we will find out

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2016/6/23/12021226/phoenix-suns-get-both-dragan-bender-and-marquese-chriss-how-does-that

[JMac1]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2016/7/14/12142204/phoenix-suns-dragan-bender-is-the-most-impressive-rookie-in-vegas

The kid is still just 18 years old. He won't be 19 until just before Thanksgiving. He's tall, talented, aggressive and still learning the American game.

"It's a different court, different ball," Bender said this week. "Everything is different."

I tend to forget that.

But that doesn't mean he's been entirely disappointing in his NBA debut. On the contrary, Bender has wowed a lot of basketball junkies and scouts who focus on the player rather than the box score.

Here, Jonathan Tjarks, long of Realgm.com and now contributing to a new site called "The Ringer", heaps praise on Bender despite his unimpressive stat line.

The biggest story for the Suns was the play of Dragan Bender, who stood out by how well he moved and how well he carried his weight.

...

A player as tall as Bender shouldn't be able to move as fluidly as he does, and his age (he doesn't turn 19 until November) belies his on-court savvy. The game was never too fast for him. He knew where the ball was supposed to go and he knows how to get to his spots. The scouts and executives in attendance came away raving about him.

...

Bender, who has wing talent with the size to play center, gives an offense almost unlimited flexibility.

...

He can pair as easily with Alex Len as he can with Chriss, and he gives the Suns a ton of options in their frontcourt going forward. You never want to overreact to a limited sample size against substandard competition, but Bender was the most impressive rookie I saw in Vegas.

Too bad most people don't know what to look for outside of the box score. The same goes for Jaylen Brown. Outside of Simmons; Bender, Brown, and Maker are the guys I am most impressed with, because their skill set is unique. There is nothing unique about Dunn who I love and people will see that when he faces Westbrook, Lowery, Bledsoe, Curry, CP3, Conley, and the real John Wall just to name a few.


I expect Dunn to do what he is doing, I am waiting to see if it translates to the real NBA, if it does, then its time to crown him.

[76ciology]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2016/7/14/12142204/phoenix-suns-dragan-bender-is-the-most-impressive-rookie-in-vegas

The kid is still just 18 years old. He won't be 19 until just before Thanksgiving. He's tall, talented, aggressive and still learning the American game.

"It's a different court, different ball," Bender said this week. "Everything is different."

I tend to forget that.

But that doesn't mean he's been entirely disappointing in his NBA debut. On the contrary, Bender has wowed a lot of basketball junkies and scouts who focus on the player rather than the box score.

Here, Jonathan Tjarks, long of Realgm.com and now contributing to a new site called "The Ringer", heaps praise on Bender despite his unimpressive stat line.

The biggest story for the Suns was the play of Dragan Bender, who stood out by how well he moved and how well he carried his weight.

...

A player as tall as Bender shouldn't be able to move as fluidly as he does, and his age (he doesn't turn 19 until November) belies his on-court savvy. The game was never too fast for him. He knew where the ball was supposed to go and he knows how to get to his spots. The scouts and executives in attendance came away raving about him.

...

Bender, who has wing talent with the size to play center, gives an offense almost unlimited flexibility.

...

He can pair as easily with Alex Len as he can with Chriss, and he gives the Suns a ton of options in their frontcourt going forward. You never want to overreact to a limited sample size against substandard competition, but Bender was the most impressive rookie I saw in Vegas.

Too bad most people don't know what to look for outside of the box score. The same goes for Jaylen Brown. Outside of Simmons; Bender, Brown, and Maker are the guys I am most impressed with, because their skill set is unique. There is nothing unique about Dunn who I love and people will see that when he faces Westbrook, Lowery, Bledsoe, Curry, CP3, Conley, and the real John Wall just to name a few.


I expect Dunn to do what he is doing, I am waiting to see if it translates to the real NBA, if it does, then its time to crown him.

Trey Lyles and Kyle Anderson also have unique skillset. It's not about having unique skillset, it's about productive with + impact on the court. And Dunn was it during SL.

[JMac1]

http://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2016/7/14/12142204/phoenix-suns-dragan-bender-is-the-most-impressive-rookie-in-vegas

The kid is still just 18 years old. He won't be 19 until just before Thanksgiving. He's tall, talented, aggressive and still learning the American game.

"It's a different court, different ball," Bender said this week. "Everything is different."

I tend to forget that.

But that doesn't mean he's been entirely disappointing in his NBA debut. On the contrary, Bender has wowed a lot of basketball junkies and scouts who focus on the player rather than the box score.

Here, Jonathan Tjarks, long of Realgm.com and now contributing to a new site called "The Ringer", heaps praise on Bender despite his unimpressive stat line.

The biggest story for the Suns was the play of Dragan Bender, who stood out by how well he moved and how well he carried his weight.

...

A player as tall as Bender shouldn't be able to move as fluidly as he does, and his age (he doesn't turn 19 until November) belies his on-court savvy. The game was never too fast for him. He knew where the ball was supposed to go and he knows how to get to his spots. The scouts and executives in attendance came away raving about him.

...

Bender, who has wing talent with the size to play center, gives an offense almost unlimited flexibility.

...

He can pair as easily with Alex Len as he can with Chriss, and he gives the Suns a ton of options in their frontcourt going forward. You never want to overreact to a limited sample size against substandard competition, but Bender was the most impressive rookie I saw in Vegas.

Too bad most people don't know what to look for outside of the box score. The same goes for Jaylen Brown. Outside of Simmons; Bender, Brown, and Maker are the guys I am most impressed with, because their skill set is unique. There is nothing unique about Dunn who I love and people will see that when he faces Westbrook, Lowery, Bledsoe, Curry, CP3, Conley, and the real John Wall just to name a few.


I expect Dunn to do what he is doing, I am waiting to see if it translates to the real NBA, if it does, then its time to crown him.

Trey Lyles and Kyle Anderson also have unique skillset. It's not about having unique skillset, it's about productive with + impact on the court. And Dunn was it during SL.

Oh, you want to argue, no thank you.