Watch: Anthony Bennett discusses his surprise at being selected first overall
TORONTO – Canada made history in the National Basketball Association Thursday night after Toronto native Anthony Bennett was selected first overall in the 2013 NBA Draft — but who is he?
Hailing from Brampton Ont., Bennett, 20, started his basketball career at Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School before heading to West Virginia and finally settling in at Findlay Prep in Nevada.
The power forward opted to enter the Draft as a University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) freshman.
Bennett was a star player on Canada’s junior national team and collected the Mountain West Conference freshman of the year award while playing at UNLV.
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He was a projected top-five NBA draft pick.
Jonathan Wasserman, NBA draft writer for the Bleacher Report, describes Bennett as a “compact, 6’7” forward with exceptional upper-body strength and a frame built for contact.”
Bennett has been compared to now retired Larry Johnson when the former New York Nicks star was in his prime.
“The Larry Johnson comparison is on the spot. I watched the game where they played against Duke in the finals and they blew them out by 30,” Bennett told The Washington Post. “He was doing everything on the court, hustling, shooting the ball, dunking, setting screens for people, which is a mirror of what he did and what I do.
So, what’s his weakness?
According to Sport Illustrated‘s Ben Golliver, Bennett is “undersized as a power forward and could struggle to keep up with small forwards. A better post-up game would help round out his offensive game.”
Here’s a look at highlights from Bennett’s 2012-2013 college season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SVCjO-LaZTM
-with a file from The Canadian Press
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