NBA Draft 2013: UNLV’s Anthony Bennett Player Profile

Here we continue to look at the top prospects for the 2013 NBA Draft. Today we examine:

Image from sports-logos-screensavers.com

Anthony Bennett, PF, UNLV, 6’7”, 239 lbs

2012-13 Collegiate Stat Line: (all stats courtesy of ESPN.com)

16.1 points, 53% field goals, 37% 3-point field goals, 8.1 rebounds, 70% free throws, 1.2 blocks

The Skinny:

Remember when the best NBA prospect for UNLV was Mike Moser? Neither does Anthony Bennett. In his only season at UNLV, Bennett took the Mountain West conference by storm, even putting Moser as second on the depth charts for much of the season. According to CBSSports.com on Sunday night, Bennett will enter his name in the 2013 NBA Draft. Bennett has lottery talent, maybe even top-pick talent.

Strengths:

Bennett’s length alone makes him a threat in the paint. Combine his 6’7” stature with a 7’1” wingspan, Bennett can alter any shot brought close to the basket. He’s a big-body guy, allowing him to stand his ground when opponents attempt to back him down. He’s not afraid to get physical, which will definitely come in handy going against other big-body guys in the NBA. His size also allows him to body up for rebounds on the both ends of the floor.

Despite his size, Bennett has no issues running the floor on offense. He has solid speed for a power forward and is athletic enough to finish at the rim in contact. He does slow down as the game goes on, but if the opportunity is there to get out in transition, the big fella is will right in the mix. He’s also not afraid to play point guard in transition situations.

Bennett has very nimble hands for his size, ala Dirk Nowitzki. He’s very comfortable finishing around the rim but also has no qualms about shooting the 3-point shot with a man in his face. He’s very confident in his ability to work in an offense. He’s not about forcing the action and allows the action to come to him. He’s unselfish, as highlighted below. NBA teams love unselfish guys.

Weaknesses:

Something that may have some NBA teams afraid of drafting Bennett is that he isn’t the exact size that a power forward is in the league. Yes, he is 6’7” with that seven-foot wingspan, but he’s on the smaller side for a power forward, the position he will undoubtedly be placed into. However, this wouldn’t be the first time a college power forward is undersized in the NBA. DeJuan Blair comes to mind here and he seems to be doing just fine for himself these days.

Highlight Game:

Jan. 5 vs. CSU-Bakersfield (W 84-63) 28 points, 10-for-13 field goals, 3-for-4 3-point field goals, 5-for-6 free throws, 10 rebounds

An overall dominating performance for Bennett in what was an overall consistent year for the freshman. Scoring 28 points was a season high for Bennett, doing it both close to the basket and beyond the arc. The big man showed his fearlessness and consistency in this game. He has no problems taking it to the rack as well as stroke it from three-point range.

Lowlight Game:

Jan. 16 at San Diego St (W 82-75) nine points, 4-for-7 field goals, 0-for-2 3-point field goals, two rebounds

Bennett had his fair share of single-digit scoring games, but this one is the most troubling. While UNLV won the game, Bennett only had seven field-goal attempts and played 20 minutes. Based upon some observations, Bennett was easily the best player UNLV had on the floor, but his lack of demanding the ball is highlighted here. His unselfishness didn’t diminish the season the Rebels had nor should it diminish his impact on an NBA team.

Potential Landing Spots:

Bennett is a clear lottery pick, possibly even a first-overall pick depending upon who is drafting where. His talents are unmatched and his full potential hasn’t fully been tapped into yet. He’s scary good now and has a chance to be phenomenal fully developing in the NBA.

Teams That Make Sense:

Washington Wizards: The Wizards have already assembled an impressive, young backcourt in John Wall and Bradley Beal. While those two are expected to carry the franchise into the future, they cannot do it alone. Washington has Nene and Emeka Okafor as their staple posts, and neither of them is getting any younger. Drafting Bennett to go along with Wall and Beal could set up a nice cornerstone for the Wizards to transform their franchise. The excitement in Washington would certainly be top notch with that trio.

Charlotte Bobcats: Presuming the Bobcats fail to earn the first-overall pick for the second year in a row in the draft lottery (they are currently in position for the worst record in the NBA once again), Charlotte would have to look at every possible draft pick. Bennett would fill the void that is the entire Bobcat frontcourt. Byron Mullens and Bismack Biyombo are nice and all, but Bennett could really turn things around for the dying franchise. Michael Jordan would be a fool to pass him up if the opportunity presents itself.

Overall Synopsis:

Anthony Bennett is a surefire lottery selection and won’t have to wait long to hear his name called in the 2013 NBA Draft. We don’t have to wait and see if he is going to enter the draft since that has already been established. Now it’s just a matter of where he will be playing.

Feel free to follow me on the Twitter machine for college basketball and NBA Draft insight (@NathanGiese)