Five reasons Dragan Bender is turning the corner
By Adam Maynes
After a generally lackluster and ineffective first season with the Phoenix Suns, many people had questions about the viability and potential ceiling of Dragan Bender.
Though only 18-years-old in his rookie year, and having only turned 19 just prior to the beginning of this season, belief in his potential and worth as a 4th overall pick had declined, fear creeping into some minds that labeling him with the term ‘bust’ was not only seen upon the dusty horizon, but already slowly entering discussions surrounding the Dragan.
Throughout the Summer League and even through the preseason, many of the issues that had plagued Bender in his rookie year appeared to have continued with little to no determent. His shot was continually flat; he consistently appeared lost on offense; he still didn’t seem confident in his game on either side of the ball.
Those who had naysayed his selection and seeked proof of opinion were slowly being proved correct, and those of us who held out hope that Bender would indeed have some sort of sophomore renaissance were losing the ability to argue otherwise.
Then, suddenly and mercifully, Earl Watson was fired. Long thought to have potentially been a detriment to the young player’s development, Bender – as well as the other young Suns – were breathed with new life, the Dragan seemingly having been the greatest recipient of this change.
His shot has, and without argument otherwise, developed an arc. The one thing that was a most obvious defect seems to be finally on the path of remedy. He is no longer exiled to the corner spot on offense, standing around, waiting for something to come to him. Not only does he move about the court, but he too is moving within the arc and driving with strength and viciousness, slowly adding a post-up game, that with his height, could be entirely undefendable.
But there are more, many more, reasons as evidence and proof that Dragan Bender is turning the corner, and will soon be developing into the type of player that many have been hoping for.