Keith Benson

[mrhonline]

After looking at his numbers, it is obvious that he is a player the Hawks targeted. He is a weak positional defender who is an inefficient offensive player with jump shooting potential.

Hahaha. Think they want him as a backup PF? The bulk is less of an issue there, right?

[TNHawk]

I'm glad Shaq retired. Could you imagine?

How much did Salley weigh coming out of GT?

[NJHAWK]

Here are some nice highlites vs some solid college programs as well as vs mid major teams. He is very athletic and has a soft touch around the basket as well as from outside. IMHO not a bad project big at all. Hell half this draft were project bigs and I didnt see any that were heads and tails above this kid even in the lottery.

http://www.nbadraft.net/players/keith-benson

Video at bottom of page

Edited June 24, 2011 by NJHAWK

[KB21]

Hahaha. Think they want him as a backup PF? The bulk is less of an issue there, right?

He looks like Magnum Rolle to me. Unless he can add bulk, he's a power forward.

[JRid]

link

Benson makes big jump

Oakland center Keith Benson has been on a mission for the past two days and it manifested itself on the high jump during the combine.

Benson outjumped the 12-foot bar on Friday, which is at the top of the backboard.

"They didn't actually tell me, but I rated a little higher," said Benson, who's been rated as a late first-round or early second-round pick. "They had to raise the bar (laughs)."

Benson averaged 17.9 points, 10. 1 rebounds and 3.6 blocked shots per game for the Oakland Grizzlies last season, as he solidified himself as a bona fide NBA prospect. Over the past 48 hours, he's sat down with eight teams, including Chicago, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Clippers.

His biggest mission has been to quell the notion about not being able to measure up against top-notch players.

"I like the process, to get the chance to play against bigger names," Benson said. "I'm excited to get this chance. People have questions about the competition I've played in the past few years. I'm anxious to show them."

Benson has workouts scheduled with Miami, Portland and Boston. He doesn't yet have a workout scheduled with the Pistons, but believes something will be set up for the first week of June.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110521/SPORTS0102/105210323/Pistons--Rodney-Stuckey-hires-fifth-agent#ixzz1QABeopoD

[Endy9]

From the AJC draft board:

Benson initially threw his hat into the NBA draft ring last spring before backing out, and while his numbers (17.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.6 blocks) stayed pretty much the same, his level of exposure definitely increased. Oakland's lanky center got a chance to face Purdue, Illinois, Michigan State, Tennessee and Ohio State as a senior, but perhaps his most lasting impression came in his team's first-round NCAA tournament loss to Texas. Unfortunately, it wasn't a particularly good one. Benson went 6 for 15 and had trouble finishing around the basket, yet the more alarming concern in that game - and throughout his college career - was his defense. Benson had no trouble scoring and rebounding on Summit League opponents, but his one-on-one defense - even at that level - left plenty to be desired. He got a lot of his blocks simply because of his size and length, but there's a good chance he won't be able to bang with bulkier power forwards and centers under the hoop at the next level. That being said, there's hope for Benson if he puts in the time in the weight room. He has decent range and can draw defenders away from the basket, and he runs the floor well. He's developed some post moves over the past two seasons as well, and he'll likely need them against the far better competition he'll start seeing even in summer league games. Benson has a lot of work to do if a coach is going to trust him in his rotation, but the allure of a nearly 7-foot frame should get a team to bite somewhere in the early-to-mid portion of the second round.

[ROW_B]

KITO VID ......>

[Joker]

Top 50 BP

[Admin]

KITO VID ......>

Thanks for posting that vid ... he looks like he is very skilled offensively and can definitely get up for some dunks, rebounds and blocks and honestly he doesn't look as thin as I thought he might. I initially thought he might look like a Solomon Jones but he looks like he's got a much bigger frame and once we get him into a strength and conditioning program I'll bet he easily puts on 10-15 lbs of muscle. Let's just hope that this thing about him being lazy and taking plays and games off is because he was bored with the level of competition around him, which could be the case since he looked pretty good in that footage against a very solid Pitt team and I seem to remember him playing well against Texas in the tournament, although I could be wrong on that.

[NJHAWK]

Hope you guys liked the highlite video. Here is an interview with him as well. Also under the highlite video I posted earlier there is a link to hit him up on twitter and welcome him to the Hawks. His only tweet so far is: Atlanta !!!!!!!!!

http://hawksbasketblog.com/2011/06/23/video-of-benson-from-the-draft-combine/

Edited June 24, 2011 by NJHAWK

[Yeti]

I just hope Keith isn't a taller version of Marvin Williams or the next Hilton Armstrong.

I'd be thrilled if we got a taller version of Marvin at the 48th pick. But it doesn't look good.

[NJHAWK]

He looks like Magnum Rolle to me. Unless he can add bulk, he's a power forward.

Im dreaming for a Marcus Camby.

[Admin]

Hope you guys liked the highlite video. Here is an interview with him as well. Also under the highlite video I posted earlier there is a link to hit him up on twitter and welcome him to the Hawks. His only tweet so far is: Atlanta !!!!!!!!!

http://hawksbasketbl...-draft-combine/

I just sent him a Tweet (I think I did it right not all that experienced with Twitter) from our Hawksquawk Twitter account welcoming him to the Hawks and inviting him to visit us at Hawksquawk.

Im dreaming for a Marcus Camby.

I'm hoping for a more offensively skilled Camby and if he becomes half the player that Camby is then this will be a terrific pick.

[BrazilianHawk]

Well just in case... if you happen to read this, Kito, welcome and good luck grom Brazil!!!

[nitte]

His height and soft touch looks promising. Bulk is not impossible to add, think about Tyson Chandler, the beginning of his career and today. Welcome and good luck kid (in case you read here).

[HalfHawk]

I don't know anything about him

Great height, a shot blocker and rebounder

They said he doesn't play hard all the time and he is only 217 pounds....which are worries. Could be a nice pickup or just another big guy who sits at the end of the bench

Concerning the Jay Bilas comment about his "motor," his coach in Oakland had this to say...

"I wish he would have called me and asked me before he goes on and says that. That motivation has been there. He's been motivated to play in the NBA and turned himself from a guy that averaged five points a game in high school to an NBA player. When they talk about lack of toughness and motor, tell me about that. Atlanta will find out when they get him how good of a player he is."

Hope his coach is speaking the truth, and not just hyping up his pupil.

[frosgrim]

I'm happy with this pick. Its the #48 pick in a historically weak draft class. Every player from #1 down has worts. Some on the comments here sounds like people were expecting us to pick up the next Kareem. Jeesh.

My hope is the guy can come into the Hawks fold, go to the D-League and get experience this up coming season and be ready for 2012-13.

[MaceCase]

Why is it these guys are not able to bulk up in college but can when they turn pro? To busy studying?

On a college budget and depending on the affluence of your parents (or if they even care), meals outside of Cup Noodles are few and far between.

[00Blink]

Hope you guys liked the highlite video. Here is an interview with him as well. Also under the highlite video I posted earlier there is a link to hit him up on twitter and welcome him to the Hawks. His only tweet so far is: Atlanta !!!!!!!!!

http://hawksbasketblog.com/2011/06/23/video-of-benson-from-the-draft-combine/

From the combine video, you can tell he was nervous and was not accustomed to the lights, attention, and giving interviews. He seems very humble and quiet. Some of his answers were a little scripted and too politically correct. I like him as a player. I think he is going to have value, especially at #48.

I can see him getting double-double in the next 3 years. He does have a soft touch around the basketball and seems to have good body control with athleticism. Get him a legitimate big man's coach (Josh, when you go see Hakeem this summer, take him with you), and I think he can flourish. He can finish, run the floor, and play above the rim. He showed a bit of range out there. Maybe he can develop into a Chris Bosh.

I looked at his comparables table and he and Bosh statistically mirrored with the same flaws, to soft on the interior. But Chris' game is more polished and the talent level of competitiion is different. His defense seems to be significantly better than Bosh. I think we might have a nice player on our hands.

DEVELOP him Hakeem. A man can dream can't he!

[AHF]

On a college budget and depending on the affluence of your parents (or if they even care), meals outside of Cup Noodles are few and far between.

Scholarship athletes don't have that same problem. They get access (at a minimum) to a cafeteria for free meals.