Denver Nuggets NBA Prospect Preview: Intro

Prospect Profile: Dragan Bender

Now that we’ve gone over our top ten, let’s focus on one prospect and how they can help the Nuggets. For the first edition of the Nugg Love Draft Series, we will feature forward Dragan Bender in the prospect profile.

Bender, the 6th ranked player on our board, could be a very intriguing prospect for the Nuggets to select in June’s draft. He was born on Novemeber 17th, 1997 in Capljina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, but grew up in Split, Croatia idolizing fellow Croatian star and former Chicago Bulls great Toni Kukoc.

Bender signed a seven-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv back in 2014, but has seen limited minutes this season for the team. He’s averaging around only 13 minutes per game in the Israeli Super League and 6.5 minutes per game in the Euroleague for Maccabi this year. Even with the limited opportunity, Bender still has delivered some solid performances for Maccabi and shows flashes of a potential top five pick.

Strengths:

Movement Skills and Playmaking ability at 7’1″ – Probably the brightest spots of Bender’s budding game so far is his movement skills and playmaking ability, which are rare for a player of his height (7’1″ with a 7’2″ wingspan). Bender has a natural feel for the game and because of his movement skills, his defensive potential is through the roof.

He’s most often compared to last year’s draft darling and New York Knicks rookie Kristaps Porzingis, but these two skills are what differs Bender from Porzingis the most. Bender obivously doesn’t have the length Porzingis has and he isn’t as explosive of a leaper or as pure of a shooter that the Lativan is either. However, Bender is more of a playmaker with a more natural feel for the game and has quicker feet.

Because of his movement skills, Bender can play along the perimeter and does quite often. This allows Bender at 7’1″ to be a potentially invaluable weapon for a NBA team to utilize on both ends of the floor. He can switch onto guards while defending in pick and roll situations or on the perimeter, possessing the foot quickness to do so.

Bender has great range as a defender, showing the ability to cover a lot of ground on the defensive end. In the three gif’s below you can see Bender switching onto guards and defending all over the floor:

Bender is also an adequate on ball defender, adding to his value on the defensive end. He obviously is not as quick as a guard and has gotten beaten several times off the dribble. However, Bender’s elite foot quickness allows him the chance to stay in front and he also moves well laterally helping even more in that regard.

Watch how he’s able to keep up with a guard on the perimeter and contest or alter each shot, forcing a miss. Seeing how NBA offenses are becoming more motion and screen oriented, the ability for a big man who can defend on the perimeter and switch onto guards like Bender is a must have nowadays.

Bender’s a playmaker, who has a natural feel for the game and a rare ability at 7’1″ to create for others. He has really good touch on his passes, most of which are rarely off target. Bender in perticular is really good at entry passes into the post as you can see in the first GIF, watch how he puts the ball right where his man needs and threads the needle through multiple defenders.

He’s also a great passer out of the post and can create of the dribble, having the vision to set-up his teammates at the perfect time. Bender makes quick decisions with the ball in his hand, once again showing a natural feel for the game.

Offensive Versatility

Bender can do just about anyhting on the offensive end, leaving most NBA scouts drooling with his offensive potential. We already looked at how Bender is a playmaker on the offensive end, but he’s also a well versed scorer. He can stretch the floor with his three point shooting ability and can score off the dribble, something most 7’1″ players just can’t do. In the right offensive system with a coach who believes in his ability and utilizes him correctly, Bender could be a dynamic offensive weapon at the next level.

Bender would immediately help a team with spacing issues, as he’s a good three-point shooter who’s only improving. His mechanics are fluid and his from is pretty textbook, realsing the ball above his head and keeping his elbow at 90 degress.

Whatever NBA team selects Bender will no doubt utilize his shooting ability, putting him in pick and roll situations as well as catch and shoot situations off screens. Watch Bender in the first two GIF’s hit a three of a designed play and then another one off a high pick and roll.

The skill that Bender possess that I believe can turn him into a NBA star is his ability to score off the dribble at 7’1″. We looked earlier at Bender’s playmaking off the dribble, but he’s even better for creating for himself. While his handles aren’t great, Bender is a solid dribbleer, keeping the ball low and protecting it before he attacks the rim. He also has no problem finish through contact, possessing solid body control to adjust the shot attempt.

Potential as Shot Blocker/Offensive Rebounding – Bender has average length for his height, sporting only a 7’2″ wingspan, but still has the ability to alter shots and protect the rim. While not a explosive leaper, Bender has enough athleticism to get up and contest most shots. If he can improve his discipline, upper body strength and timing as a shot blocker, Bender could be a great rim protector at the NBA level. Even though he doesn’t always box out on the defensive end, Bender is a very sound offensive rebounder. His fundamentals are good, rebounding with two hands and scrapping more so on the offensive glass for rebounds.

Weaknesses:

Strength/Defensive Rebounding – The biggest concern for Bender will be his lack of size and strength at the next level. Bender only weight 216 lbs. and is a very wiry 7’1″. He fights for positioning on the low block and scraps for rebounds, but his lack of muscle to push back nullifies that effort most times. This limits Bender’s ability to not only gain position on the low post offensively, but also the ability to defend in the post. In the first GIF you see Bender not being able to gain offensive position, being fronter by a guard. On the flip side in the second GIF you see how Bender’s lack of strength hinders him on the post defensively, where he gets bullied to the rim and committs a foul. Bender’s not a bad defensive rebounder, but his lack of effort shows at time as he fails to box out at time or just doesn’t have the strength to hold off the opposition for a defensive rebound.

Off Ball Defense/Offensive Post Game/Average Leaper – Like most young players Bender’s defensive awareness and discipline needs some work. He often will get caught looking at the ball or helping too much, breaking down his team’s defensive rotation at times. Bender’s off the ball defense concerns me the most, he either gambles too much or again watches the ball and usually pays for it. He also has a relatively un-refined offensive post game and tends to force or rush his shots from there. Bender’s footwork, moves and once again strength will all need work for him to become a more polished scorer on the block. Lastly, we looked at Bender’s movement skills, agileness and athleticism earlier which are all excellent for a seven footer. However, Bender is not the best leaper in the world and doesn’t bounce off the floor, you can see this in the last GIF where he gets posterized trying to defend dunks in transition.

How Does Bender Fit in Denver?

Personally I see Bender and the Nuggets as a match made in heaven. His contract situation with Maccabi is tricky, as he could play three or four mor years overseas. Denver could use a big who can stretch the floor and be a playmaker something they currently don’t possess. Also the fact that the Nuggets have a ton of international influence in their front office, as well as on their roster(Denver currently has five international players on their active roster), could make the mile high city a ideal fit for the Croatian Sensation.

Yes Nurkic, Arthur, Jokic and Lauvergne all can shoot, but three of those players are ideally 5’s. Athur is no more than a back-up, leaving the Nuggets with one-dimensional energizer Kenneth Faried to start at the four spot. Faried hasn’t done really anything to develop his skillset over the past few seasons and is no longer skilled enough to be a starting quality power forward in today’s league. He doesn’t shoot much shots outside of ten feet, limiting his ability to space the floor and has no passing ability really what so ever.

Bender would be a immediate upgrade for Denver at the four over Faried, giving them a four man who can not only stretch the floor with his shooting, but also a player who has a phenomenal feel for the game. Bender and Nurkic could form one of the most unique, dangerous and formidable years to come giving how versatile both players are. He would also improve the Nuggets spacing immensely, allowing Emmanuel Mudiay to have more room to operate with off of pick and rolls. Also unlike Faried, Bender can guard along the perimeter and would be a defensive weapon under Mike Malone’s tutelage. I think Bender will be a great selection by whichever NBA team selects him and believe he would look great in a Nuggets uniform.