Kris Dunn – no matter how he maneuvers – will be the highest Providence player selected in the 2016 NBA draft.
But he won’t be the only Providence player drafted.
Bentil fits in the wide-open area of the draft, where he could go anywhere from the middle of the first round to the middle of the second round. There are many players stuffed in that range and little consensus on them.
A 21-year-old sophomore power forward, Bentil scores at an impressive clip. He plays hard and repeatedly gets himself in position to convert, working on and off the ball. He has a nice shooting stroke that should translate to the NBA, though it’s not a lock he’ll reliably make 3-pointers at the next level. How valuable are his mid-range shots, even if he can generate them off the dribble? His ability finish in the paint is more questionable, because he frequently used his body to create space in college rather than finishing above the rim. That’ll be much harder against NBA size and athleticism.
The other facets of his game – defense, rebounding, passing – need work.
It’s easy to fall for someone who made himself so productive in college, especially considering the major improvement he made from his freshman year. But when Bentil’s primary strength – scoring – raises so many questions, I have a hard time putting him in the first round.
