DREW BENDER
Subscribe to our NewsletterDREW BENDER- PINNACLE HIGH SCHOOL, AZ, ARIZONA FUTURE CLUB TEAM
click on link to see ESPN write up on DREW BENDER
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/125845/drew-bender
ESPN Player Evaluations
Strengths:
Bender is a multi-skilled wing-type that can play all three perimeter positions at this level. He has good quickness, speed, and he is bouncy as well. He handles the ball well in the open court and can dish out the nifty assist. His jump shot is solid as well and he does a great job of slashing to the rim. He plays hard at both ends and he appears to always trying to make the right basketball play for his team to win. Overall, he has a high basketball IQ and a willingness to make plays at crucial times of the game.
Weaknesses:
Bender is a good athlete (not great) with decent bounce and quickness, but he may struggle guarding quicker 2's and 3's at the next level. He needs to improve his defensive stance and bend his knees more as he needs to do a better job of keeping his man in front of him. Offensively, we're not sure what position he'll be at the next level, but he does have the skills to be a point forward type.
Bottom line:
Overall, Bender has an advanced skill set and is quite mature for only a sophomore. Thus, it will be interesting to see how his game evolves in the coming seasons. He can hit shots from anywhere and he loves to attack in transition. In addition, his passing prowess is impressive as well. He is definitely one of the more intriguing prospects in the class of 2013 in Arizona.
DREW BENDER HIGHLIGHT VIDEOS ON YOU TUBE CLICK ON LINKS BELOW:
 |
 |
| |
| Pinnacle HS 6-foot-4 sophomore guard Drew Bender led the Arizona Future to a championship victory this weekend. |
This weekend Bender was back at it and in a big way as he led his Arizona Future AAU/club basketball program to a major upset victory over Westwind Prep International in the championship game of this year's Southwest Showcase - a game which was held at Cortez High School.
Westwind Prep International, a post-graduate team filled with serious division-I basketball talent, won their games by an average margin of 30+ points on their way to the tournament's championship game.
Bender would come up big in the championship game, as he had all tournament long this weekend - pumping in better than 30 points in the come-from-behind victory. Westwind Prep led in the game by as much as 18 points, before eventually falling behind to the Arizona Future.
Bender is a very nice looking young prospect in the state of Arizona's loaded 2013 class, and is among our top-rated prospects in the class.
Bender has excellent size already for his position - possessing a serious physical frame for his young age, suggesting that he may not have much more room for growth physically. If he continues to grow at the pace he already has, it could get very interesting for him and the competition. So I am going to suggest that there is definitely still some upside to him physically - there would have to be as such a young prospect.
Bender is a very good shooter of the basketball with range on his shot, although he is a rhythm shooter and needs touches of the basketball to get into his comfort zone as a player. He can score from the perimeter or off of slashing drives to the basket, where he likes to use his physical nature as a player to gain an advantage on his defender.
He is a good overall ball handler already, and is capable of playing the shooting guard position or the small forward position on the floor, as a result of his size and good athleticism. He should only continue to get stronger physically over the next several years, which could allow for him to play even more positions on the floor - a nice asset to his versatility as a prospect.
He is a solid defender and is capable of guarding several positions on the floor, although I would like to see him improve his lateral quickness on the floor as he matures to guard quicker guards in the open floor. His toughness as a player though make him a much better defender than his ability suggests.
Bender seems to be a good rebounder already for his age, and this is an area of his game which I believe will only continue to improve a great deal over the next several years as well over time. His strong body and physical strength should continue to aid him in his ability to gain good inside position on both ends of the floor.
Bender has already made a believer out of basketball enthusiasts in the state, and this weekend he proved that he is worthy of some serious attention outside of Arizona as well.
