Thursday, August 19, 1999

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Jonathan Bender hugs his mom, Willie
Mae, after he was drafted by Toronto.

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Bend Him,
Shape Him

In Jonathan Bender, the
Indiana Pacers have one of
the best young talents in the
NBA; their task is to mold the
6-foot-11 teen into a superstar

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Life is changing fast for Jonathan Bender.

Only a month and a half ago, the wiry 6-foot-11 stringbean from Picayune (Miss.) Memorial High School was drafted No. 5 overall by the Toronto Raptors of the NBA and traded to the Indiana Pacers.

Initiation into the world's best basketball league can be traumatic enough for a college player.

But in more than half a century of its existence, the league has only drafted a dozen players right out of the prep ranks. Bender, along with Darryl Dawkins and Kevin Garnett, is one of the highest selections.

He's the "can't-miss kid," a complete package who can play every position but center. A big man who can put the ball on the floor and run it like a point guard, shoot with range, leap and block shots.

And he's only 18. A quiet one at that.

Though the Raptors traded him to the Pacers for forward Antonio Davis after the draft, he only got to meet his new coaches a little while ago.

"We couldn't even talk to him until August, when the trade was completed," said Pacers offensive coordinator Rick Carlisle. "I got him into a gym on Aug. 3 and spent about an hour with him."

But Bender is glad he's going to go through NBA initiation with Larry Bird's team.

"There are a lot of young fellas, and they understand what I'm going through," he said.

Young fellas like teammate Al Harrington, a 1998 pick out of St. Patrick's High in New Jersey who is also enrolled at the Big Man Camp.

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Bender is beginning his NBA
education at the Big Man Camp.

---

"He's been through one year and he can tell me all about what it takes," said Bender.

Their common preps-to-pro background gives them a lot to talk about.

"I definitely understand what he's going through," said Harrington, who says the two have become fast friends since meeting two days ago.

"A lot of people change in the way they act and talk to you when you get into the NBA. But it will be a smooth transition (for Bender) because I will be there with him. I don't know everything, but I know a lot more things than he does."

Carlisle said that Bender's not the only one learning right now. He said he's learning, too - about Bender.

"I had only seen the McDonald's game on tape," said Carlisle, referring to Bender's 31-point performance, which broke Michael Jordan's 1981 scoring record for the all-star event.

"And other than that one day in the gym with him, this is it," he said, defining his experience with Bender.

But Carlisle and Bird have plans for him.

"Down the road, I think he's either a 3 (small forward) or 4 (power forward), and there's a possibility he can play some 2 (shooting guard)," said Carlisle.

"Being 6-11, you can always throw him in there at the center spot. People talk about (Kevin) Garnett. ... But he reminds me of George Gervin. It's his build and kind of the way he moves. Kind of looks like he's moving slow and BANG he's up in the air, taking a shot, and all you can see is his belly button."

Carlisle said to look for Bender to eventually develop into Indiana's regular power forward.

"We have a lot of guys at the 3 spot, so Jonathan's best chance will be to play at the 4," he said.

But Bender, who played at only 173 pounds his last year in high school, might not be a power forward for a while.

His lack of bulk was a concern among NBA scouts before the draft. The Pacers also want him to get bigger so he can withstand the physical pounding he will take inside.

Though he still looks very lean, Bender insists he's far from weak.

"I'm lifting," he said. "I'm not weak. I'm strong. I just have to get built and that will come ... in time."

Newell said Bender has "wiry strength," and Carlisle said he's pleased with his progress in putting on pounds.

"Here's a kid who's worked hard all summer and gained 30 to 35 pounds in about two-and-a-half to three months because of a lifting/ nutrition program," he said.

Newell, a Hall of Fame coach, believes Bender won't take long to impress the NBA.

"He's one of those freshman who will make a mark," said Newell. "It's not a lot of fancy dunking or things like that. It's plain basketball. He's shooting well, putting it down well, reading situations."

Carlisle said one of the big things that will determine how much playing time Bender gets will be his ability to play NBA defense.

"We have to find out what kind of defensive player he is. Can he keep a guy in front of him, and can he understand the NBA style of defense?"

Newell said he's been impressed with Bender the defender.

"Boy, he played some good defense out here the other day," Newell said. "He listens and he understands. I think he has an innate understanding of the game."

Bender's public has tremendous expectations of him.

But Carlisle looks at him and puts the phenom into perspective.

"We've got to be careful not to throw him to the wolves. As much ability as he has, he's still a young kid."