Maker also has a nice, albeit developing, right handed jump hook and shows definite signs that he could become at least a good post player as long as he continues to bulk up. Like Bender, he does need to work on his left hand, but Youtube highlights to Youtube highlights (I know, I know, but it's all we have to go on, lol 
), Bender is automatically billed as the more skilled player when it seems to me that Maker is, in fact, more polished, so why is one guy deemed a youtube gimmick while the other is this future Croatian Sensation? I'd like to believe that we're beyond all of these stereotypes, but the fact that one guy is a white European who is deemed to possess 'tremendous skill' and 'feel for the game', while the other dude was born in Africa (and raised in Australia) and is said to 'lack skill' and needs to 'learn how to play' despite the evidence which would appear to suggest otherwise gives off the impression that such basketball buzzwords and terms have racial undertones. Or maybe it's just me. Yeah, it's probably just me .
Maker is definitely not more polished. People have mentioned how Bender does well against his own age group. Well how about we think about how Maker did against his age group? There have been reports from DX as well as interviews such as the Scal one saying he showed very little separation from those guys. That wasn't even college level...
He doesn't have a basketball brain, he'll make the wrong play consistently. Now if you put him in a 1 on 0 environment then yeah his athleticism shines and he's able to show he has a potentially good shot. That however is no use if he can't do it in a 5 on 5 environment. It's the same thing that worries a lot of people about Jaylen Brown or Marquesse Chriss. Athleticism shines in workouts but talent shines in games. Whoever ends up taking Maker is taking on the biggest risk in the entire draft on the 1% chance he turns out to be as good as Noel. Worthy with a 2nd round pick but certainly not a 1st.
Bender on the other hand has the fundamentals to carve out a role player role in any league. That is his floor. His ceiling is being able to be an elite 3 pt shooter, secondary ball handler and effective perimeter and post defender. The thing is that because he has the fundamentals he is far more likely to reach his ceiling
This is exactly what I'm talking about. If Maker didn't 'have a basketball brain', he wouldn't be able to make great passes like this -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ4g58w1QMAWhen Poeltl the Turtle makes passes like that, it's because he's 'tremendously skilled, versatile, and intelligent with great vision,' etc., but when Maker does it it equates to him not even having a basketball brain?
What he just showed is the definition of tremendous skill, intelligence, and vision, not to mention versatility. Does he make mistakes? Sure, everyone does, but, at least to me, even when he does, you can see what he was trying to do, which is invariably the right play. His game is not based on athleticism - it's based on already a great amount of skill, imo.
Also, in regards to Bender - no, he does not possess the fundamentals to succeed as far as big men are concerned. Not even close, imo. You know who does? Sabonis. Yes, he has a shorter wingspan, unfortunately, but as far as playing in the pivot, Sabonis is far ahead of the Croatian James Van Der Beek
. He has footwork of which Bender can only dream, actually boxes out, can use either hand on the block, and almost always keeps the ball high when he rebounds on both ends. Bender could stand to learn a thing or two from him in regards to these facets of the game, in my estimation, but again, I don't have much to go on as far as Bender is concerned. I can only tell you what I see
.
Btw, didn't everyone want Willie Cauley Stein, who went 6th, last year, primarily because of his quickness, lol, despite the fact that he had demonstrated little skill and sub par rebounding ability while at Kentucky? If that's all it takes to be a lottery pick these days, even if you have a screw in your foot
, why isn't Maker viewed on that same level and as having the same ability, defensively? He might even be quicker than Stein, and has actual skills, like being able to shoot and make great passes, etc.
Topic: UPDATE - Bender Scouting Report & Video (Read 37117 times)