Dragan Bender (Photo : Youtube/FIBA)
The Los Angeles Lakers have been continuously linked as destination for college basketball freshman stars Ben Simmons of LSU Tigers and Brandon Ingram of Duke Blue Devils. However, there's another prospect that could make a case as a top player available in this coming draft and a better talent for the Lakers. He's no other than Croatian center Dragan Bender.
Widely recognized as the best International prospect in the 2016 NBA Draft, the 18-year old Bender could turn out to be a sleeper for the no.1 overall pick this June. At 7-foot, 216-pound, the young Croatian shows a lot of agility in his size along with an already reliable jumper.
Bender possesses an incredibly high basketball I.Q at this stage of his career, making him ready to contribute right away. Based on the initial scouting report by Draft Express, Bender's court vision is really high as he can create scoring opportunities for his teammates at the post or even in transition. In short's he's spitting image of New York Knicks rookie Kristap Porzingis.
The Case for the Lakers picking Bender in June
While Simmons and Ingram remain on top of the Lakers' wish-list, Bender should come as the next prospect up for grabs out there. Although the Lakers have a budding double-double machine in Julius Randle, there's an argument that he's a little bit of a tweener at the power forward position. Even more, Bender's ability to play the center position would give the Lakers a solid power forward-center combo of the future.
He might struggle offensively in the early phase of his NBA career, but Bender already boasts incredible defensive tools, having the flexibility to contain quick guards and hold his own in the shaded lane. In fact, Draft Express considered Bender the draft's best defensive prospect- which is something the Lakers are looking for quite some time.
Bender averaged 9.7 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 blocks for Maccabi Tel Aviv during the 2014-15 season.
As of today, the Lakers have 19.9 percent to grab the first overall pick in the draft lottery, just behind Philadelphia 25.5 percent. Failing to land a top-3 pick means the Sixers would get another high-pick after acquiring the Lakers' pick in a trade with Phoenix Suns in 2015.
