Don't Give Up On Anthony Bennett

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Don't give up on Anthony Bennett
Originally Published: February 7, 2014
By David Thorpe | ESPN Insider

Still Hope for Anthony Bennett

David Thorpe has been watching the top overall pick and says with that size and those beautiful shooting mechanics, it's far too soon to call him a bust.

"Bust." "Fat." "Tweener." "Not ready." These words have all been used to describe the top pick in the 2013 NBA draft. And with good reason -- he has been all of those things this season.

But those labels are likely only applicable for the short term. Because Bennett stands in a long line of young players who appeared to be short of the talent that the hype machine bestowed on them but eventually succeeded -- many of whom became All-Stars.

Remember when Dirk Nowitzki was too soft to be an elite player and his lack of a post game would keep Dallas from ever winning a title? Or when Steph Curry was just a shooter who could never be a point guard in this league? Or when Joakim Noah didn't have a game that could work in the pros?

Even LeBron James, the world's best player and now a two-time champ, had to break through one obstacle after another before truly claiming his throne.

If Bennett does not get distracted by failure and instead uses it as motivation to get better, he too has the potential to one day hear his name announced to the whole world at the beginning of an All-Star Game. While it's true that none of those players I mentioned were No. 1 picks (except LeBron) or as bad as Bennett was to start his rookie season, their breakthroughs are emblematic of what happens when off-court commentary is short-sighted. Young guys almost always get better as they mature as men and basketball players.

The key for Bennett is to have a plan, then start building a foundation one process at a time, with the help of his franchise.

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Goal No. 1: Get in great shape

Starting right now, Bennett can significantly transform his body by the end of the season. Then he can use that as a springboard to get even slimmer in the offseason. It looks as though he can lose 30-60 pounds in the next six months, and that new body would unlock an incredible set of talents. From Udonis Haslem to Kevin Love and all sorts of players in between, there have been many forwards who looked completely different in college than during most of their NBA careers.

The best part for Bennett is that he has the type of body that should continue to exhibit power and force despite a significant loss of weight. The impact that new physique would have in the rebounding and transition game alone would be huge combined with his soft hands and quick feet. Being able to play faster and in longer stretches of faster play would help him impact the game without any other improved skill.

One of the basic NBA principles in rebounding is "the first man to the ball wins" because of the overall strength of the men playing this sport. It is not the same at any other level of play, though, where the first person to the ball can often be overpowered by a stronger player. So a sleeker (and still strong) version of Bennett can arrive at the ball faster and allow his long arms and soft hands to do the rest.

A Bennett who can race the length of the floor possession after possession would be a handful to defend, as well. Post defense is at its weakest in transition, and Bennett's build -- those massive shoulders especially -- could provide real problems for defenders who don't have help when they deny him the post. Men his size, after getting an interior pass in transition, often can simply turn and score at the rim, or use a fake to draw a foul and sometimes still get the basket.

According to Synergy Sports, Bennett has just 34 points in transition and on offensive putbacks combined. By comparison, Blake Griffin, likely the fastest and most powerful power forward in the game, has 308 points on those plays. Bennett might not ever be as fast and powerful as Griffin, but trying to get to that level will benefit him greatly even if he falls short.

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Goal No. 2: Play athletically and energetically


This goes hand in hand with the first goal, naturally, but it needs to be said that just losing weight and increasing endurance is not a guarantee that Bennett will "out-athlete" anyone. Mentally, he has to get there, as well. Players who were once large or heavy (or both) have to learn how to use their new body just like someone who develops a new post move needs to learn how and when to try it. Once Bennett is physically capable of running faster, jumping higher and playing harder for longer stretches, he will still play as if he does not have those new tools on many possessions.

Studying game tape and identifying those missed chances at playmaking, due to inactivity, can help him avoid making those mistakes in the future. He'll also learn that the same balls he could not get to when he was heavier are now in play. Players who go after loose balls (which includes nearly every rebound in a game) time and again will get their fair share, both on the ground or in the air. The goal is to turn 20-80 balls into 50-50 ones, and 50-50 balls into 80-20 ones.

Bennett looks as though he can be an explosive athlete once he transforms his body. Learning to finish explosively takes time, as well, but it pays huge rewards. He has finished less than 43 percent of his shots at the rim this season, a number that can't help but improve immensely if he could utilize a newfound athleticism at the rim.

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Goal No. 3: Embrace the paint first


Watching Bennett shoot the ball during pregame warm-ups reveals one clear truth -- he has a chance to be a special shooter. He has very nice form, uses good arc and has a soft touch overall. Cleveland, as a franchise, has every reason to believe he will be a serious perimeter threat with 3-point range. But that does not mean he should be camped out behind the 3-point line for much of the game. It's one thing for a young guard who lacks driving skills to stick to the 3-point line, it's another thing for a huge power forward to do so.



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Kevin Love, now considered the best shooter/rebounder in the league (and in NBA history), took all of 19 3s his rookie season. Bennett has already attempted 37 3-pointers and 80 shots total from beyond 15 feet, while taking just 69 shots inside of 15 feet (56 shots at the rim). That is the biggest reason why he has only 44 free throw attempts.

To build himself into the most potent offensive force possible, Bennett would be wise to begin and end most possessions inside. He has the size and skill to be more of a factor there, and with a new body, he'd be even more effective. Demanding space next to the rim and commanding the area around him with his arms and body would put defenses at a disadvantage. Defenders at a disadvantage, it should be noted, frequently foul. It's a mental error -- and a coaching error -- for Bennett to float so often to the outside.

Once Bennett can become a scoring and offensive rebounding machine inside, he'll demand so much attention from defenses that moving to the perimeter will be a natural extension to his game. While only being able to dominate the paint can be rewarding, as we see from Griffin, Bennett's natural shooting talent suggests he can be more like Love. Just being a perimeter threat, though, makes him more like Love's teammate Dante Cunningham, who is a nice role player -- but that isn't what the Cavs want or need from their top pick.

A slimmer, faster, bouncier Bennett who races to the rim possession after possession, pounding defenders with his body and using his long arms and good hands to make interior catches, can be a devastating force. Living in the paint will produce far more offensive rebounds, as well, a part of the game Bennett projects to be dominant in if he does as he should.

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A New Bennett
Players as talented as Bennett, such as Lamar Odom and Rasheed Wallace, can get lost in their variety of skills. The best NBA players, though, become elite at one thing, then add to their game year by year or month by month. For Bennett, though, it's his day-by-day development that can spell success this season:

Making wise eating choices. Getting extra cardio work in on off days. Studying game film to see where he can make more rim runs or be more explosive. And choosing to make an impact in the paint each night while not even trying to be a perimeter player.

If he focuses on those kinds of small details each day, it will help him become more of a factor in games. He had a small dose of success recently and should see increased playing time as the Cavs likely fall out of the playoff picture and prepare for the draft. Bennett should be encouraged to make progress daily, rather than hope to suddenly wake up as a great player. Forget about any rookie awards at season's end; Bennett needs to work toward just being a solid rotation guy now.

If he can finish the season strong, he'll have something to build on this offseason, when he'll have months to prepare for his first summer league (he missed the one last July because of injury). And that is where the new Bennett can make his debut.

A new Bennett can be a terrific player who impacts the game all over the court, one who can be a top player on a good team. To get there, though, will require a level of dedication and work we have yet to see from Bennett. It is a mistake to wonder whether or not he can get there, but it remains fair to ask if he will get there. Only a Bennett fully invested in outworking people can make that question go away.
 

The having to lose 30-60 pounds is a bit uninformed, as he's already dropped a ton of weight and is already at his playing weight. Might lose a few more, but not 30-60 pounds.