Bender vs Sabonis

[Tr1boy]

The gentleman from Draft Express had this to say about Dragan last fall.  He has seen him play a lot....

How do you find a 7'1" kid that's 17 years old, that is skilled with such a feel for the game like Dragan's? It doesn't exist," Givony told Bleacher Report. "Compare where Dragan is now to where [New York Knicks No. 4 pick] Kristaps Porzingis was at the same age, and there's no comparison. Bender is way ahead in terms of how polished he is, creativity, versatility and his body. I was watching some of his games from preseason in France and Israel, and he is huge.

"His body made a huge jump this summer. Every time I watch him, he is better, stronger; his jumper is better, his ball-handling, he runs coast-to-coast, dishes off. … NBA teams will fall in love with him."


So that kind of puts to rest that he hasn't improved in the last two years.  I have really dug into Dragan today and I honestly feel like there is a decent chance he isn't available at 3 for the C's to pick...

I hope you are right. Then we can grab Ingram

[elcotte]

The gentleman from Draft Express had this to say about Dragan last fall.  He has seen him play a lot....

How do you find a 7'1" kid that's 17 years old, that is skilled with such a feel for the game like Dragan's? It doesn't exist," Givony told Bleacher Report. "Compare where Dragan is now to where [New York Knicks No. 4 pick] Kristaps Porzingis was at the same age, and there's no comparison. Bender is way ahead in terms of how polished he is, creativity, versatility and his body. I was watching some of his games from preseason in France and Israel, and he is huge.

"His body made a huge jump this summer. Every time I watch him, he is better, stronger; his jumper is better, his ball-handling, he runs coast-to-coast, dishes off. … NBA teams will fall in love with him."


So that kind of puts to rest that he hasn't improved in the last two years.  I have really dug into Dragan today and I honestly feel like there is a decent chance he isn't available at 3 for the C's to pick...

I hope you are right. Then we can grab Ingram

Keep trying.....

[Tr1boy]

The gentleman from Draft Express had this to say about Dragan last fall.  He has seen him play a lot....

How do you find a 7'1" kid that's 17 years old, that is skilled with such a feel for the game like Dragan's? It doesn't exist," Givony told Bleacher Report. "Compare where Dragan is now to where [New York Knicks No. 4 pick] Kristaps Porzingis was at the same age, and there's no comparison. Bender is way ahead in terms of how polished he is, creativity, versatility and his body. I was watching some of his games from preseason in France and Israel, and he is huge.

"His body made a huge jump this summer. Every time I watch him, he is better, stronger; his jumper is better, his ball-handling, he runs coast-to-coast, dishes off. … NBA teams will fall in love with him."


So that kind of puts to rest that he hasn't improved in the last two years.  I have really dug into Dragan today and I honestly feel like there is a decent chance he isn't available at 3 for the C's to pick...

I hope you are right. Then we can grab Ingram

Keep trying.....

What are you talking about

You wouldn't take Ingram over bender?

[Tr1boy]

Nice video on Sabonis

http://youtu.be/QYCXe9LaphY

[moiso]

Triboy what will you do if Sabonis materializes into nothing in the NBA and ends up being a bust?

He won't.  Worst case he is going to be a better Sullinger. 

And if he is a bust (after 2-3 seasons at the NBA level) I will be the 1st one to admit it.    You can add Aaron Gordon and Jordan Mickey on this list

You are a man of few topics. 

[IDreamCeltics]

I think from a health standpoint Bender is the biggest risk in the lottery.  He's a 7 footer who's never played above 216 lbs.  His build is similar to a young Kevin Durant (who's already lost an NBA season to a broken foot) in that they both have extremely narrow shoulders. Durant had to add almost 30 lbs after entering the NBA just to play mostly on the perimeter.  Coincidentally, both players weighed in at 216 lbs at their pre draft workouts.  Even if Bender adds just 25 lbs to play in the NBA does anyone feel confident he'll be able to carry that weight safely over the course of an NBA season?  Bender's brother - who is his closest genetic match and who did play reasonable minutes in a professional league has torn his ACL... Twice.

Unlike any of the college prospects, we have no idea how Bender will hold up physically over the course of a season since he's only played a few minutes a game.  You can fall in love with his potential, but the single most important quality of any professional athlete is health - ie the ability to play big minutes and play them over an 82 game schedule plus playoff games. 

[jambr380]

I think from a health standpoint Bender is the biggest risk in the lottery.  He's a 7 footer who's never played above 216 lbs.  His build is similar to a young Kevin Durant (who's already lost an NBA season to a broken foot) in that they both have extremely narrow shoulders. Durant had to add almost 30 lbs after entering the NBA just to play mostly on the perimeter.  Coincidentally, both players weighed in at 216 lbs at their pre draft workouts.  Even if Bender adds just 25 lbs to play in the NBA does anyone feel confident he'll be able to carry that weight safely over the course of an NBA season?  Bender's brother - who is his closest genetic match and who did play reasonable minutes in a professional league has torn his ACL... Twice.

Unlike any of the college prospects, we have no idea how Bender will hold up physically over the course of a season since he's only played a few minutes a game.  You can fall in love with his potential, but the single most important quality of any professional athlete is health - ie the ability to play big minutes and play them over an 82 game schedule plus playoff games.

To be fair, his brother tore his ACL a second time because of the allegedly shoddy health care system where had the surgery done. This last time he had it done right and he should be fine. Lots of players tear ACLs nowadays - it's not ideal, but it isn't the death sentence to one's career that it used to be.

As for Bender and adding weight, I have never been a huge proponent of NBA players getting heavier just for the sake of getting heavier. He isn't going to be a center anyway, so he should keep working on his strength and see how his body progresses. One of his major advantages is his lateral quickness, why make him a plodding big guy?

[Tr1boy]

I think from a health standpoint Bender is the biggest risk in the lottery.  He's a 7 footer who's never played above 216 lbs.  His build is similar to a young Kevin Durant (who's already lost an NBA season to a broken foot) in that they both have extremely narrow shoulders. Durant had to add almost 30 lbs after entering the NBA just to play mostly on the perimeter.  Coincidentally, both players weighed in at 216 lbs at their pre draft workouts.  Even if Bender adds just 25 lbs to play in the NBA does anyone feel confident he'll be able to carry that weight safely over the course of an NBA season?  Bender's brother - who is his closest genetic match and who did play reasonable minutes in a professional league has torn his ACL... Twice.

Unlike any of the college prospects, we have no idea how Bender will hold up physically over the course of a season since he's only played a few minutes a game.  You can fall in love with his potential, but the single most important quality of any professional athlete is health - ie the ability to play big minutes and play them over an 82 game schedule plus playoff games.

nice points. best case he won't be ready until 2-3 years later

can't see CBS playing anyone not physically ready to withstand the NBA grind

[loco_91]

I think from a health standpoint Bender is the biggest risk in the lottery.  He's a 7 footer who's never played above 216 lbs.  His build is similar to a young Kevin Durant (who's already lost an NBA season to a broken foot) in that they both have extremely narrow shoulders. Durant had to add almost 30 lbs after entering the NBA just to play mostly on the perimeter.  Coincidentally, both players weighed in at 216 lbs at their pre draft workouts.  Even if Bender adds just 25 lbs to play in the NBA does anyone feel confident he'll be able to carry that weight safely over the course of an NBA season?  Bender's brother - who is his closest genetic match and who did play reasonable minutes in a professional league has torn his ACL... Twice.

Unlike any of the college prospects, we have no idea how Bender will hold up physically over the course of a season since he's only played a few minutes a game.  You can fall in love with his potential, but the single most important quality of any professional athlete is health - ie the ability to play big minutes and play them over an 82 game schedule plus playoff games.

This is fair. I generally worry a little more about bigs who are really heavy than guys who are light like Bender, but I'm not sure if this is justified by the numbers. Most of the really bad injuries-- feet, back, chronic things-- seem to be associated with heft. I'm not sure how heritable ACL tears are, but it isn't a great thing that Bender's brother had that injury (the second time was apparently due to poor healthcare). ACL tears at a young age don't seem to be a terrible thing, but when they happen later on it seems like guys have a harder time recovering fully.

[Emmette Bryant]

I think from a health standpoint Bender is the biggest risk in the lottery.  He's a 7 footer who's never played above 216 lbs.  His build is similar to a young Kevin Durant (who's already lost an NBA season to a broken foot) in that they both have extremely narrow shoulders. Durant had to add almost 30 lbs after entering the NBA just to play mostly on the perimeter.  Coincidentally, both players weighed in at 216 lbs at their pre draft workouts.  Even if Bender adds just 25 lbs to play in the NBA does anyone feel confident he'll be able to carry that weight safely over the course of an NBA season?  Bender's brother - who is his closest genetic match and who did play reasonable minutes in a professional league has torn his ACL... Twice.

Unlike any of the college prospects, we have no idea how Bender will hold up physically over the course of a season since he's only played a few minutes a game.  You can fall in love with his potential, but the single most important quality of any professional athlete is health - ie the ability to play big minutes and play them over an 82 game schedule plus playoff games.

This is fair. I generally worry a little more about bigs who are really heavy than guys who are light like Bender, but I'm not sure if this is justified by the numbers. Most of the really bad injuries-- feet, back, chronic things-- seem to be associated with heft. I'm not sure how heritable ACL tears are, but it isn't a great thing that Bender's brother had that injury (the second time was apparently due to poor healthcare). ACL tears at a young age don't seem to be a terrible thing, but when they happen later on it seems like guys have a harder time recovering fully.

I would say that using tea leaves to project future injuries on someone who doesn't have a history  of serious injuries isn't very fair.

[Celtics4ever]

He won't.  Worst case he is going to be a better Sullinger. 

That won't be hard to achieve.   I think worse case he is Tyler Hansborough. 

[Tr1boy]

He won't.  Worst case he is going to be a better Sullinger. 

That won't be hard to achieve.   I think worse case he is Tyler Hansborough.

Hansborough is 6'8 and not better than sullinger

[TheSundanceKid]

I think from a health standpoint Bender is the biggest risk in the lottery.  He's a 7 footer who's never played above 216 lbs.  His build is similar to a young Kevin Durant (who's already lost an NBA season to a broken foot) in that they both have extremely narrow shoulders. Durant had to add almost 30 lbs after entering the NBA just to play mostly on the perimeter.  Coincidentally, both players weighed in at 216 lbs at their pre draft workouts.  Even if Bender adds just 25 lbs to play in the NBA does anyone feel confident he'll be able to carry that weight safely over the course of an NBA season?  Bender's brother - who is his closest genetic match and who did play reasonable minutes in a professional league has torn his ACL... Twice.

Unlike any of the college prospects, we have no idea how Bender will hold up physically over the course of a season since he's only played a few minutes a game.  You can fall in love with his potential, but the single most important quality of any professional athlete is health - ie the ability to play big minutes and play them over an 82 game schedule plus playoff games.

nice points. best case he won't be ready until 2-3 years later

can't see CBS playing anyone not physically ready to withstand the NBA grind

So for the bagillionth time I ask why you think Ingram would get picked? Bender's body is far superior to Ingram's right now. Using your logic Ingram won't see the floor for all of his rookie contract here...

Hunter played this year, if you have a skill that fits then you will play. Both Ingram AND Bender have skills we need in our team so they will play.

I can't wait for the workouts to begin so we can clear up the fact that Bender is for real. People are calling Maker a better player for ****! Guarantee that if Bender had gone to school with Maker, was born in Louisiana and had a hard upbringing in the rough part of town he'd be the consensus number 1 on here.. it's so twisted..

[Who]

I don't like putting too much stock in u-18s tournaments.

I remember Kosta Koufos dominated one of those European tournaments. Here is his numbers = 26.5ppg, 13rpg, 3.5bpg including a 37 point 20 rebound game against Lithuania with a team with Motiejunas on it.

https://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/63101/sid/5526/tid/291/_/2007_U18_European_Championship_Men_DIVISION_A/index.html

[ederson]

I don't like putting too much stock in u-18s tournaments.

I remember Kosta Koufos dominated one of those European tournaments. Here is his numbers = 26.5ppg, 13rpg, 3.5bpg including a 37 point 20 rebound game against Lithuania with a team with Motiejunas on it.

https://www.fiba.com/pages/eng/fa/player/p/pid/63101/sid/5526/tid/291/_/2007_U18_European_Championship_Men_DIVISION_A/index.html

Nice one.. Tp
I was thinking about Retzias if anyone remembers him... World champion mvp triple double in the final against Marbury lead USA team...