Even though the European talent have been talked about frequently in the past few years, they have been coming to the NBA for decades. Dirk Nowitzki wasn’t the first people come on, know your history.
Danny Ainge knows his history very well, he was there when players like Drazen Petrovic were making a name for themselves. Ainge has a huge amount of respect for the European game and is thinking about reciprocating that respect by drafting one. Last year it was Kristaps Porzingis, this year its Croatian Dragan Bender.
The Celtics secured the No. 3 draft selection in the lottery during mid-May and have serious intentions of picking the Croatian wunderkind, according to sources in Bender’s camp. Not long ago, Celtics international scout Benas Matkevicius spent time in Tel Aviv watching Bender and filed an encouraging report.
Now what’s interesting with the Celtics is that they have many reliable players, whoever they go for the Celtics will have to move somebody down and eventually out to another team. Whether it’s Kris Dunn, Dragan Bender, Buddy Hield or any of the other prospects, moves will be made. Another dimension to Danny Ainge’s stack of problems.
