For any rookie shooter, especially one as young as Dragan Bender, there can be some apprehension to coming out of the gates and firing away from the field.
“Every rookie is tentative, so it’s up to the coach to instill supreme confidence and let them get comfortable taking those shots,” Head Coach Earl Watson said. “It was like that with (Devin) Booker at the beginning of last year. You give young players goals to meet offensively, so it makes them more aggressive.”
In the case of 19-year-old Bender, the Suns have set the target of six 3-point shots per game this preseason. Doesn’t matter how they come or even if they go in, Phoenix just wants to see the No. 4 overall pick get reps and gain experience.
“We want him to grow confidence-wise,” Watson said. “Once his confidence grows, he’s going to know what’s a good shot and what’s a bad shot.
“Ask Booker if he misses 10 in a row, will he shoot the next 10? He’ll say yes. We want that mentality from all our young players. But it takes time and opportunity to fail in order to be great.”
Through the first four games of the Suns’ exhibition slate, Bender converted on just 1-of-12 3-point attempts. But in Friday night's win over the Dallas Mavericks, the Croatian forward hit on 2-of-5 shots from beyond the arc. He finished the game with 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting with seven rebounds, one assist and a +10 plus/minus.
“That’s the best thing for a young player like me – just to have the coach’s confidence,” Bender said. “If you’re a good shooter, you just need to have the confidence that you can hit the open shots.”
In portions of Suns workouts open to the media, Bender has been seen staying late and practicing shooting from behind the backboard and even over a 7-foot ladder to simulate defenders and help increase the arc on his shot.
The results, the Suns hope, will be a 7-foot-1 stretch four with the coolness and conviction to drain open looks from long distance.
“If I hit those shots, it spreads the floor for the team and that’s my job right now,” Bender said. “It means a lot that the team believes in us. And not just me personally, but the whole team. We’re working to prove them right.”