Almost 17 year old Dragan Bender is an MVP candidate in the Israeli National League

In a typical season, someone like me who is an assistant coach/scout for a team in the Israeli Winner League (Israel D1), would obviously keep a close eye on the National league, the Israeli minors, to look for emerging Israeli talent, or young American players who could be prospects in the near future. This season however, it’s obvious that every Tuesday I will be watching Ramat Gan, to cherish every opportunity I can get to watch an obvious future NBA star play in the Israeli minor leagues.

Meet Dragan Bender, a 6’11” soon-to-be 17 year old forward that Maccabi Tel-Aviv signed to a long term deal from Croatia, and loaned to the minor league club Ironi Ramat Gan. This kid can handle and pass like a guard, has a great outside shot, excellent defensive fundamentals, and an off the charts basketball IQ for a kid his age. He plays with a maturity and poise that makes him seem like one of the veterans in the league, instead of a seeming like a high school kid who can’t even drive a car.

Through his first two games, Bender is averaging 13.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists on 60% 2PT% and 35.7% 3PT%, winning game MVP both times. Additionally, in the state cup, Ramat Gan almost knocked out last season’s Winner League runner up, Maccabi Haifa,  before Haifa narrowly escaped embarrassment with a barrage of 3-pointers by Dagan Yavzuri.

Bender will not become NBA draft eligible until 2016, where he will be a surefire lottery pick. Until then, I am going to soak in watching him in small gyms throughout Israel, so I can remember just exactly where he was before he makes his mark over the next two decades.