Source
r/nba•
Squake

Could Anthony Bennett become a good role player and have an impact next season?

Watching the Canada-USA Pan Am game right now, and Bennett is looking GOOD. He's rebounding like a beast, finished well around the rim, had some huge slams and even hit a couple threes. Played with intensity and had a nice block too.

Announcer mentioned that's the best Anthony Bennett has looked in years. Now I know this has been said for the past two offseasons and he disappointed, but could this be the year he somewhat pans out?

Bennett had 18 pts/14 rebounds

Nicholson was a beast with 31 points

Also, Jamal Murray is crazy good

Posted Jul 25, 2015, 12:16 AM UTC

222
Barneys_New_WestGOAT[LAL] Kobe Bryant•

Third time's the charm as they say

9
FlyingScissorTimberwolves•

He's still a really bad defender. Also the Pan Am competition is super weak, take any performance by any player with a huge grain of salt.

6
iTechBrotha[TOR] Hakeem Olajuwon•

fuck yes if he's utilized correctly. Dude is going off for Team Canada.

5
FoFoAndFo76ers•

I agree that he could be a useful pro and this tourney has made me think more of him, but this is roughly college level competition. Grain of salt.

That said he's looked like the aggressive player he'll need to be offensively to make up for his short arms and disappointing defense. A couple shots start falling too and I could see more flashes of a number one pick.

6
wiifan55Cavaliers•

I think it has less to do with him being utilized correctly, and more about him keeping his head straight. Bennett has the physical gifts; most his issues seem to be on the mental side

3
-LemurKnicks•

that can be said for almost every single disappointing player/bust in the NBA

2
wiifan55Cavaliers•

Does that make it any less true? I mean, that's just how it is with Bennett. Bennett's issue has not been utilization.

3
gardiner_51Raptors•

It also has to do with confidence which the coaches have given him

1
QuomTimberwolves•

I don't agree. Last year we were happily letting everyone play through the bumps. The issue is that Bennett gets so down on himself so quickly and gives up.

This isn't 'clap hands fuck I missed, gotta get back to business and make that up' it's 'I took a mid-range instead of driving and missed and now everyone is mad at me oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck' and he'd then play like garbage and be totally psyched out. It wasn't that he gets pulled for doing something stupid, it's that when he does something stupid if you leave him out there it's like watching someone have an anxiety attack and the mistakes just start piling up.

I have no idea how you fix that and it isn't something I remember seeing in the NBA. Lots of busts look like they couldn't care less about the game. Bennett is the opposite, he takes every fuck up as some personal failure and gets into his own head too much.

2
MrFundamentals101Warriors•

Yes, If KG can get to his head, I'm sure he can be great

2
AustinRiversClippers•

definitely. still has a lot of potential left

2
Solar24Rockets•

He is a classic has the tools player but has not been able to find his role.

2
marx32Bulls•

I still believe in him

2
justchillyoTimberwolves•

No because we are too deep at the 4 and I really don't think he can play the 3.

2
najib78Timberwolves•

He has is better than Payne

6
justchillyoTimberwolves•

Eeeeehhhhhhhhh

2
Beyoncessurfboard69Timberwolves•

Payne steals his teammates rebounds, I wouldnt be surprised if Towns punches him in a few years

3
QuomTimberwolves•

I'd say they are about equal at the moment with Bennett having more potential. The problem is that Bennett is also much more expensive and there is a risk that he will never get over his confidence issues.

1
serabia123Spurs•

18/14 against d-league competition. That's decent, but shouldn't at all be surprising for a borderline starter on an NBA team.

2
chefstephcurry[PHO] Leandro Barbosa•

This was posted yesterday

I think there's a chance, but it's unlikely

1
rumblegod[OKC] Perry Jones III•

he's a stater in the nba, just gotta find the right team like charlotte.

1
serabia123Spurs•

das burn.

1