2016 NBA Draft: Best second round steals

Ben Bentil, PF, Providence

Ben Bentil was one of the more surprising players at the NBA Draft Combine, solidifying himself as a 2016 NBA Draft prospect and turning a marginal chance at being drafted into first round potential. He tested decently in athletic measurements and was one of the best performers in the scrimmages, posting 32 points, 17 rebounds, and four assists across the two games.

Bentil was a beneficiary of playing with potential top-five pick Kris Dunn at Providence, drastically improving his scoring production from 11.8 points per 40 minutes to 24.6 this past year. He showed a great ability to score off of the pick-and-roll, and he’s a comfortable jump-shooter from beyond 15 feet, meaning he has potential as a pick-and-pop big. His scoring improvement didn’t just come from playing with Dunn, however; Bentil also has a very strong face-up game, using his pull-up jumper, excellent handle, and length (7’2″ wingspan) to score well in isolation situations and in the open court.

Bentil does have concerns in regards to rebounding, although his performances at the Combine scrimmages were helpful in addressing that. Bentil averaged 7.7 rebounds per game playing as Providence’s de facto center, and while he doesn’t always rebound with consistent effort, he should be better playing next to an NBA center. He’s not a guy who can eat space like Kevin Love or Steven Adams on the glass, but he should develop on the boards. Defense is Bentil’s bigger concern, where he struggles to give consistent effort and may be a liability on the perimeter due to his lack of elite quickness.

Defense aside, Bentil has the skill set of an NBA-level stretch four. If he can refine his skill set on the offensive end, he could be a nice addition to a roster as an instant-offense type bench scorer. He’d be a nice fit on the Clippers (No. 33), Bucks (No. 36 and No. 38), or Magic (No. 41).

To learn more about Ben Bentil, click here.

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