Free agent - Signed with Maccabi Tel-Aviv
- Birthdate: 11/17/1997
- Drafted (NBA): 4th pick, 2016
- Pre-draft team: Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel)
- Country: Bosnia/Croatia
- Hand: Right
- Agent: Doug Neustadt (The Neustadt Group)/Maurizio Balducci (ProTalent)
| Date | League | Transaction |
|---|---|---|
| 11th March, 2014 | Israel | Signed for the remainder of the season and through 2021 with Maccabi Tel-Aviv. |
| 26th August, 2014 | Israel | Loaned by Maccabi Tel-Aviv to Ironi Ramat Gan for one year. |
| 2016 NBA Draft | NBA | Drafted 4th overall by Phoenix. |
| 7th July, 2016 | Israel | Left Maccabi Tel-Aviv. |
| 7th July, 2016 | NBA | Signed four year, $19,302,919 rookie scale contract with Phoenix. Included team options for 2018/19 and 2019/20. |
| 17th October, 2017 | NBA | Phoenix exercised 2018/19 team option. |
| 30th October, 2018 | NBA | Phoenix declined 2019/20 team option. |
| 2012 - 2013 | KK Split (Croatia) |
| 2013 - March 2014 | KK Ribola Kastela (Croatia, A2) |
| March 2014 - August 2014 | Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel) |
| August 2014 - June 2015 | Ironi Ramat Gan (Israel, National League) |
| July 2015 - July 2016 | Maccabi Tel-Aviv (Israel) |
| July 2016 - present | Phoenix Suns (NBA) |
June 29, 2017
Dragan Bender
PF/C, 7’1, 225lbs, 19 years old, 1 year of experience
Painfully raw at this point, and did not even have that much in the way of flashes as a rookie. He was brought in knowing it would take time, and his first season confirmed that. The physical profile intrigues, hugely, but the skills are undeveloped, and the awareness even less so. Bender just sort of flopped around the court, normally around the perimeter, putting up shots from outside with an ugly form, missing them, avoiding the foul line on offence, while grabbing too much on defence. And then he got injured. Projectable, very projectable, especially defensively where he looked less unsteady, but a very slow start to his NBA career thus far.
Player Plan: Three years of rookie scale salary remaining. He needs to be good, but there is a long way to go until he is, so keep him and intensely develop both his skills and his body.