NBA Mock Draft 2016: Pro Comparisons for Top 30 Prospects

4. Dragan Bender, Maccabi Tel Aviv

Upside Comparison: Dirk Nowitzki

Safe Upside Comparison: Tom Gugliotta

Position: Power Forward

Age: 18

Height, Weight, Wingspan: 7’0.5″, 216 pounds, 7’2″

Slash Line: .417/.395/.722

Season Averages: 11.2 MPG, 4.0 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.6 ORPG, 0.6 BPG, 0.7 3PM

Few players are captivating the international fan base quite like Maccabi Tel Aviv big man Dragan Bender. In the midst of Kristaps Porzingis’ rise to fame, the European twist on the stretch 4 is all the craze in NBA circles.

Having been on the radar since before Porzingis’ breakout rookie season, Bender is well on his way towards being a Top 5 selection in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Bender, 18, stands at 7’1″ with a 7’2″ wingspan and the type of agility that’s made Porzingis a special player in the Association. He doesn’t embrace contact in the way Porzingis does, which is a major factor, but Bender is every bit as skilled.

A solid passer with the fundamentals to play out of the post and the range to convert from beyond the arc, Bender is an offensive mismatch waiting to happen.

Defensively, he’s shown intriguing instincts as a shot-blocker, but lacks the core strength to thrive against stronger post players. That will be a point of emphasis for him moving forward, but it won’t hinder his draft stock much given his youth and upside.

Bender’s upside is safe in the Tom Gugliotta range, but he told DraftExpress that he patterns his game after Toni Kukoc, Nikola Mirotic, and, of course, Dirk Nowitzki.

Next: The Upside Player