UPDATE - Bender Scouting Report & Video

[footey]

I continue to think Danny is playing possum with Bender, purposely being rather low key in assessing his scouting report of him from the recent trip. To me, he is a tier below the first two, by himself, and the third tier lines up behind him in this draft. A lot of GM's will make Danny a really good offer to get the pick to take him. He is a player that you can build a future really good team around.  I know this is where the nay-sayers chime in and talk about how he will get destroyed in the NBA, has no strength, is not athletic, is not nearly as good as Porzingis (you know, basically the same critics who said the same thing about Porzingis before he got drafted).  I realize there is risk with a kid so young, but it is the risk factor that will make him available at 3.

Go for it, Danny!!

[PhoSita]

It's easy to imagine Bender looking pretty ineffectual against any kind of contact his first couple years in the league. 

He'll be fun to watch operating in space from day one, but I imagine his jumper will take some time to become consistent (much like KP's), and he will have a hard time doing anything when opponents put a body on him.

I agree. I also think he has potential to be a unicorn type of player in a few years.

Definitely.  It's especially exciting to envision him at the 5.  Imagine a guy with a body sort of like Tyson Chandler, only he can hit a spot-up three, attack closeouts, and also bring the ball up off a defensive rebound and pass to guys on the move in the open court.

[droopdog7]

He looked SO quick.  Man...7'1" and he moves so well.

Of course, he can't bang down low right now...but on the perimeter defensively...WOW!

Here is a simple way for me to look at things.  You would imagine that Bender and KO will be similar players but Bender is already so much more athletically gifted than KO.  So much smoother and quicker and he should eventually be as strong and at least as good a shooter.

KO is a poor man's Dragan Bender; right now.

[Big333223]

It's easy to imagine Bender looking pretty ineffectual against any kind of contact his first couple years in the league. 

He'll be fun to watch operating in space from day one, but I imagine his jumper will take some time to become consistent (much like KP's), and he will have a hard time doing anything when opponents put a body on him.

I agree. I also think he has potential to be a unicorn type of player in a few years.

Definitely.  It's especially exciting to envision him at the 5.  Imagine a guy with a body sort of like Tyson Chandler, only he can hit a spot-up three, attack closeouts, and also bring the ball up off a defensive rebound and pass to guys on the move in the open court.

That's something to remember about a guy his age: his body is going to look totally different in 4 years.

[D Dub]

Man, if this scout is correct about this--

In all honesty I’ve never seen someone with Bender’s size profile change directions like he does.

And this--

There is essentially one guy in the league right now who can guard all 5 positions reputably: Draymond Green.  Bender has the tools to be the second.  In an age where switching is so highly utilized, Bender gets an enormous boost as a prospect..

We might really regret passing him up...

[The One]

http://www.csnne.com/2016-nba-draft-dragan-bender-scouting-report-croatia-international


Coach Welsh calls him a "can't miss"...WOW...

Even compared him to a young Nowitzki...Coach Welsh apparently scouted him back in the day.


Now, I'm excited about him again!!

[alldaboston]

Other news about him.

His team was eliminated in the playoffs, so he should be here for his workouts soon.

Are you sure? I think the are in the semis and the only lost the first game.... BTW he didn`t play.

http://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/739900304607608834

[TheSundanceKid]

Nice videos. I think he could be part of the rotation next year but he'd be limited mostly to defensive duties. With our lack of bigs he could have a real chance at making an impact.

As people have been saying though it will be a few years before his body fully develops though.

To me it's between Brown and Bender for the 3rd pick. Danny needs to go for the guy who will be best in 3 or 4 years, not the guy who will help next year. That'll either be Brown if he learns to hone his craft or Bender is Ainge believes he can fill out his body

[sdceltsfan]

As long as he isn't expected to play the 5 right away, I could see him giving the rotation some pretty solid minutes basically right out the gate. For sure, he has the highest ceiling (maybe 2nd only to Simmons, if Simmons polishes his jumper and competitiveness) if he reaches his projected potential.

I still like Murray more with the #3 pick, only because his game is more useful right now, as a natural scorer and shooter.

My rank with #3 is Murray, then Bender, then Hield.

If we pick anyone besides these 3 guys at #3 (with no trades), I will be pretty bummed.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

It's easy to imagine Bender looking pretty ineffectual against any kind of contact his first couple years in the league. 

He'll be fun to watch operating in space from day one, but I imagine his jumper will take some time to become consistent (much like KP's), and he will have a hard time doing anything when opponents put a body on him.

I agree. I also think he has potential to be a unicorn type of player in a few years.

Definitely.  It's especially exciting to envision him at the 5.  Imagine a guy with a body sort of like Tyson Chandler, only he can hit a spot-up three, attack closeouts, and also bring the ball up off a defensive rebound and pass to guys on the move in the open court.

Hmmm. That'd be nice. I don't think he will be a great scorer, but given some time in the right system, I could see 15-20 ppg.

His real value as a prospect is not in his ability to average 25 ppg (because he probably won't).

It will be his ability to do all the little things well in order to make other players look great.

[PhoSita]

It's easy to imagine Bender looking pretty ineffectual against any kind of contact his first couple years in the league. 

He'll be fun to watch operating in space from day one, but I imagine his jumper will take some time to become consistent (much like KP's), and he will have a hard time doing anything when opponents put a body on him.

I agree. I also think he has potential to be a unicorn type of player in a few years.

Definitely.  It's especially exciting to envision him at the 5.  Imagine a guy with a body sort of like Tyson Chandler, only he can hit a spot-up three, attack closeouts, and also bring the ball up off a defensive rebound and pass to guys on the move in the open court.

Hmmm. That'd be nice. I don't think he will be a great scorer, but given some time in the right system, I could see 15-20 ppg.

His real value as a prospect is not in his ability to average 25 ppg (because he probably won't).

Right. 

But you only need to look at Draymond to see how a guy in that versatile defensive forward role might only average 15-16 points per game overall, but still have the ability to punish defenses that have one or two bigger scoring threats to worry about.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

It's easy to imagine Bender looking pretty ineffectual against any kind of contact his first couple years in the league. 

He'll be fun to watch operating in space from day one, but I imagine his jumper will take some time to become consistent (much like KP's), and he will have a hard time doing anything when opponents put a body on him.

I agree. I also think he has potential to be a unicorn type of player in a few years.

Definitely.  It's especially exciting to envision him at the 5.  Imagine a guy with a body sort of like Tyson Chandler, only he can hit a spot-up three, attack closeouts, and also bring the ball up off a defensive rebound and pass to guys on the move in the open court.

Hmmm. That'd be nice. I don't think he will be a great scorer, but given some time in the right system, I could see 15-20 ppg.

His real value as a prospect is not in his ability to average 25 ppg (because he probably won't).

Right. 

But you only need to look at Draymond to see how a guy in that versatile defensive forward role might only average 15-16 points per game overall, but still have the ability to punish defenses that have one or two bigger scoring threats to worry about.

I don't like the Draymond comparison too much because Draymond is nasty. Few guys have his level of nasty.

I like the Anthony-Davis-lite comparison. Probably won't be the high-flying finisher or quite the scorer, but I could see him doing everything else Davis does. Bender might even be a better shooter right now than Davis.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

It's easy to imagine Bender looking pretty ineffectual against any kind of contact his first couple years in the league. 

He'll be fun to watch operating in space from day one, but I imagine his jumper will take some time to become consistent (much like KP's), and he will have a hard time doing anything when opponents put a body on him.

I agree. I also think he has potential to be a unicorn type of player in a few years.

Definitely.  It's especially exciting to envision him at the 5.  Imagine a guy with a body sort of like Tyson Chandler, only he can hit a spot-up three, attack closeouts, and also bring the ball up off a defensive rebound and pass to guys on the move in the open court.

Hmmm. That'd be nice. I don't think he will be a great scorer, but given some time in the right system, I could see 15-20 ppg.

His real value as a prospect is not in his ability to average 25 ppg (because he probably won't).

Right. 

But you only need to look at Draymond to see how a guy in that versatile defensive forward role might only average 15-16 points per game overall, but still have the ability to punish defenses that have one or two bigger scoring threats to worry about.

I don't like the Draymond comparison too much because Draymond is nasty. Few guys have his level of nasty.

I like the Anthony-Davis-lite comparison. Probably won't be the high-flying finisher or quite the scorer, but I could see him doing everything else Davis does. Bender might even be a better shooter right now than Davis.

PhoSita - is that who you want us to pick?

[Who]

What does Bender do better than Jerebko?

Bender sounds a better passer. Not sure he does anything else better.

[snively]

What does Bender do better than Jerebko?

Bender sounds a better passer. Not sure he does anything else better.

Blocks shots.

A Jonas Jerebko/Spencer Hawes hybrid. I almost fell asleep while typing that. Hard to think of a less exciting #3 prospect.