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Thursday, Aug. 5
Jonathan Bender
Drafted by:
Toronto, Round 1, pick 5.
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EXPERT ANALYSIS
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"Jonathan Bender is every bit 6-11 and he is long. Bender is a wonderful athlete that can stroke it from beyond the 3-point line, and can really run the floor. He has a nice touch and has shotblocking ability. Bender is a player that would have benefitted from a year or two of college in order to get stronger, but will be a lottery pick because of his potential.
Bender is slim and is not particularly strong. Bender can post up, but does not have great footwork or power moves. Because he is a superior athlete with perimeter skills, he often floats to the perimeter instead of establishing himself in the post. Defensively, Bender can block and change shots, but does not have the bulk to keep most NBA big men off the block or to deny the post. Bender will not be an immediate impact player, but could wind up maturing much the way Tracy McGrady has in Toronto."
-- ESPN's Jay Bilas
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College: Picayune HS
Height: 6-11
Weight: 205 pounds
Position: Forward
Age: 18
(Jan. 30, 1981)
Birthplace: Binghamton, N.Y.
Career highlights
Early entry candidate for the 1999 NBA draft
Averaged 23.1 points, 15 rebounds, five blocked shots and 4.0 assists for 27-10 Picayune H.S. in Mississippi (Picayune is 45 miles north of New Orleans)
In the 1999 McDonald's High School All-American Game, scored a record 31 points (Michael Jordan - 30 pts) and blocked three shots in 31 minutes for the West team
In 24 minutes at Magic's Roundball Classic, scored 11 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots
Recruited by Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Mississippi, LSU and Tulane and had signed with Mississippi State prior to declaring for the draft
The Sporting News rated him as the nation's ninth-best junior in its 1997-98 college basketball preview
College statistics
| SEASON |
G |
FGM |
FGA |
PCT |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT |
REB |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
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McDonald's All-America 1999 | 1 | 31 | 11 | 19 | .579 | 7 | 12 | .583 | 10 | 0 | 31 | | | Three-point field goals: 2-for-3 (.667). | |
| | Magic's Roundball Classic 1999 | 1 | 24 | 4 | 10 | .400 | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | 7 | 2 | 11 | | Three-point field goals: 1-for-1 (1.000).
*Bender's high school statistics were not availiable
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