All wrong.
http://www.basketballforum.com/sacramento-kings/50512-kings-sign-bojko-mladenov.html
My point here is that trying to cast every obscure European seven footer who can walk and chew gum as the proverbial basketball "renaissance man" with guard skills is in fashion. If you're a scout or especially an agent, it's good business.
However, this often obfuscates the simple fact that you have to be able to play your position first, and everything else is gravy.
That was from 2003 right? I'd hope scouts have come a long way on foreign prospects since then. As well as the fact foreign competition has gotten better as well.
In recent years Vesely is the only true bust from Europe picked in the lottery. Bender is much more solid a prospect than you are willing to admit
Is that what you want with the third pick? A "not a bust"? If Bender turns into an Enes Kanter in terms of production, should we be happy because he's "not a bust"?
I want the best chance to be an All star. I look at it like this, there will be a hidden gem later in the draft, there will be someone else who develops way beyond their perceived ceiling. With the 3rd pick I want to end up with a top 5 player from the draft.
Maybe it's because we know more about the flaws in others games but Hield and Murray and Dunn all have fundamental limitations that make me think they won't end up top 5 talents in this draft. Defence, defence and agility, handles respectively.
For me Bender is scouted as having those fundamentals in his game. A technically sound defender, good shot mechanics, quick, agile feet and a mental makeup that will help him progress. That's what I got from scouting videos and things I've read.
Come workout time it may turn out my views were unfounded and Bender is none of those things. I doubt it but of course it's possible.
You can work on a players body, even James Young managed that. It's harder to teach fundamentals at the NBA level, something Young is also proving! So I choose the guy with the fundamentals and the mental game to improve. That's why I think his floor isn't as low as some think. That's why I think he'll progress as fast or faster than the other prospects at #3
I don't agree that Hield's defence is a fundamental flaw. Did you see the type of scoring numbers Hield put up last year? It's incredibly difficult for any player to put up those kind of scoring numbers in those kinds of minutes and ALSO be a plus defender at the same time.
Even in the NBA there are but a handful of guys who can score ~25 PPG while also playing high level of defence for 35 minutes. In fact Westbrook and Anthony Davis might be the only ones that I can think of who really do that. Even Lebron is very well known for taking plays off on defence, as is Cousins (I won't even get started on Harden).
From what I have read, Hield was actually a defensive role player when he first entered college (before he exploded as a scorer), but his defence became less consistent with that increased offensive role. That's not uncommon at all.
If you look at Hield, he has all of the tools to be an outstanding defensive player - solid height, great length, good physical strength, solid athleticism and a very high motor. I think he has the potential to become a very, very good two-way player.
Bender's defence looks nice now, but it's easy to play hard defence when you're only playing 18 minutes a night and you have a minimal offensive role.
Rondo for example was an elite defensive PG when he was younger - it wasn't until the big three started to fade out (and Rondo had to step up to a bigger offensive role) that his defence started to really fall off. He was arguably the best defensive PG in the NBA for a few years there.
Not saying that Bender's defensive potential is a farce or that he isn't a good defender, just saying that context is important. It's a lot easier for Bender to play defence for 18 minute a game while taking 3 shots a night, then it is for Hield to play defence for 35 minutes a night while taking 17 shots a game.
The only real limitations I see in Hield's game are his playmaking and ball handling. In his case though I really don't think they are a big concern because he's got good size and athleticism for the SG spot (so should be able to get past guys even without a great handle).
Also because he is so good at hitting contested shots (and has such ridiculous range) that he doesn't necessarily need a great amount of space in order to get his shot off.
It's still a limitation though.
I think guys who become elite players however tend to always have something they are really exceptional at.
- Hield is an exceptional shooter and an exceptional scorer.
- Simmons is an exceptoinal passer, ball handler and rebounder.
- Ingram is an exceptional shooter and scorer.
- Dunn is an exceptional ball handler, passer and defender.
I just don't see anything that Bender does at an 'exceptional' level, which is a big reason why I feel his ceiling isn't as high as people thing. I think his defence is probably his greatest talent, but even his defensive ability is not (to my eyes) exceptional - just very good.
I don't look at Bender and see a guy with the defensive potential of Nerlens Noel, Anthony Davis, Kevin Garnett, Deandre Jordan, Rudy Gobert or even Skal Labissiere. I simply don't see that type of transcendent / dominant defensive talent in Bender. I just see a very mobile 7 foot who runs the floor well and who has the lateral mobility to switch onto the occasional wing player.
I don't think he's an elite defensive player, and I don't think he has the tools (quickness, strength, length, explosiveness, intensity) to ever be an elite defensive player. If you look at the guys I just listed, everybody on that list has either a 7'5"+ wingspan or ridiculous athleticism (or both).
Yet even though I don't see Bender as a guy with elite defensive potential, I think his defence is
by far the strongest (and most NBA ready) part of his game...
Topic: Can Someone Emphatically Against Bender Explain Why? (Read 22453 times)