Jonathan Bender

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Jonathan Bender
Position	Power Forward
Height	6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
Weight	202 lb (92 kg)
Born	January 30, 1981 (1981-01-30) (age 27) Picayune, Mississippi
Nationality	USA
High school	Picayune Memorial High School
Draft	5^th overall, 1999 Toronto Raptors
Pro career	1999–2005
Former teams	Indiana Pacers (1999-2005)

Jonathan Rene Bender (born January 30, 1981 in Picayune, Mississippi) is a retired American professional basketball player in the NBA.

Bender was selected with the fifth pick by the Toronto Raptors in the 1999 NBA Draft, straight out of Picayune Memorial High School in Picayune, Mississippi despite a verbal commitment to Mississippi State University.^{[citation needed]} He was then traded to the Indiana Pacers for veteran forward Antonio Davis. Bender was hyped for his size, athleticism and all around skill. For many, Bender proved disappointing, never averaging double digits in scoring and suffering from numerous injuries. A persistent sore right knee limited him to just seven games in 2004-05.

Highlights of Bender's all too brief career included an outstanding performance in the Pacers' 2004 playoff series with the Celtics, where he led the Pacers in scoring in game 3, and set personal playoff career bests in rebounds and minutes in game 2. In 2001, Bender participated in the Slam Dunk competition during All-Star weekend, where he executed a Julius Erving-style tomahawk jam from the free throw line, left-handed.

Jonathan scored a record 31 points for the West at the 1999 McDonald's High School All-America Game, breaking the previous mark of 30 set by Michael Jordan in 1981.

He is a cousin of current New Orleans Hornets guard, Morris Peterson.

On February 4, 2006, Bender was forced into retirement due to chronic knee pain, although he has yet to file retirement papers with the NBA. He played for seven years from 1999 to 2006. The end of his basketball career finalized when the Pacers waived him on June 14, 2006.^[1] In 2005, Bender was rated by Sports Illustrated as #11 on the list of the 20 biggest busts in modern NBA draft history.^[2]

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

NBA page
Jonathan Bender – Jonathan Bender Announces End Of Career
NBA Draft Busts - #11

v • d • e 1999 NBA Draft

First Round Elton Brand • Steve Francis • Baron Davis • Lamar Odom • Jonathan Bender • Wally Szczerbiak • Richard Hamilton • Andre Miller • Shawn Marion • Jason Terry • Trajan Langdon • Aleksandar Radojević • Corey Maggette • William Avery • Frédéric Weis • Ron Artest • Cal Bowdler • James Posey • Quincy Lewis • Dion Glover • Jeff Foster • Kenny Thomas • Devean George • Andrei Kirilenko • Tim James • Vonteego Cummings • Jumaine Jones • Scott Padgett • Leon Smith

Second Round John Celestand • Rico Hill • Michael Ruffin • Chris Herren • Evan Eschmeyer • Calvin Booth • Wang Zhizhi • Obinna Ekezie • Laron Profit • A. J. Bramlett • Gordan Giriček • Francisco Elson • Louis Bullock • Lee Nailon • Tyrone Washington • Ryan Robertson • J.R. Koch • Todd MacCulloch • Galen Young • Lari Ketner • Venson Hamilton • Antwain Smith • Roberto Bergersen • Rodney Buford • Melvin Levett • Kris Clack • Tim Young • Manu Ginóbili • Eddie Lucas

Draft Templates 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 00 • 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08

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