NBA Draft Profiles: Keith Benson, Oakland

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Stats: 17.9 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 3.6 bpg,

Age: 22, senior

Size:

• Listed: 6'11", 220 lb
• Official: 6'10" (no shoes), 6'11" (with shoes), 7'3.75" (wingspan), 9'1.5" (reach), 217 lb

Strengths: Keith Benson has a tantalizing skill set for NBA teams. For starters, he has terrific tools. He's a legit 6'11" with shoes on, he has a wingspan just a shade under 7'4", and he is an impressive athlete. That length and athleticism is part of the reason he has become an elite shot blocker at the collegiate level, averaging 3.6 bpg as a senior, but he also has impressive timing and does well to stay on his feet and avoid biting on pump fakes. Offensively, he has an excellent touch around the basket. He's got more of a finesse game with his back to the basket, scoring on jump hooks and turn-around jumpers, and also has proven to be a solid shooter from 8-10 feet. Benson knocked down 39.1% of his threes this past season, albeit only shooting a limited amount, but he should develop fairly well as a pick-and-pop threat.

Weaknesses: There are two major concerns with Benson. The first is strength. At less than 220 lb, Benson got pushed around at the collegiate level, which is not a good sign for a player that is going to be a post player at the next level. He needs to add strength and size in his upper-body, and could stand to strengthen his core and lower body as well. That lack of strength not only shows in his back to the basket game, but in his ability to hold position in the post. The other issue with Benson is his grit. He has a reputation for being a bit soft, and while he did average more than 10 boards, much of that was due to his superior length and athleticism. Kenneth Faried, he is not. Benson doesn't appear to have a great feel for the game, but that should come with playing more. Also to keep in mind -- while Benson has had some big games against some good teams, the majority of his collegiate career came against Summit League opponents.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: Marcin Gortat. May seem like an odd comparison, but if Benson packs on some pounds, he may very well be better than Gortat, who is a solid big man because of solid size, length, and athleticism. Respectable face up games and good tenacity in the paint, but filling out his body is top priority in the league to reach his potential.


• Worst Case Scenario: Mikki Moore. Solid rebounder, decent athlete and big body in the post with great size, but a little frail in build like Keith. Moore was never really much more than a hustle guy in the paint who could hit the open jumper, but it could happen if Benson isn’t up for the high level of competition because of undernourished play in the Summit League. Hassan Whiteside is another comparison I've seen that I like.

Outlook: Benson has a very intriguing skill-set. He can score and he can block shots. His flaws are correctable as well. If basketball is his profession, it shouldn't be that difficult for him to pack on the pounds. That said, toughness is not a trait that can be learned, and if he doesn't improve him ability to battle in the paint, he is not going to have much of an NBA career. Another thing to keep in mind with Benson is that he is a bit of a late bloomer. He was a bit of an under-the-radar recruit, which is how he wound up at Oakland, and he redshirted his first season. In his first year playing, Benson averaged a measley 5.2 ppg and 3.5 rpg. He's not a finished product, and probably has more upside than other players at his position in this draft.

Draft Range: Early to Mid 2nd Round

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "Benson is another great athlete who runs the floor well and shows excellent quickness and athletic ability for a big man. He's a very good shot-blocker, rebounder and even has a face-the-basket game out to about 15 feet. ... He lacks strength to play in the post. He can get a bit lazy at times and doesn't always engage every play. He struggled to defend stronger players in the paint."


• Draft Express: "The biggest challenges the Detroit Country Day product faces in legitimizing his NBA stock and maximizing his potential value is his lack of grit and physical strength. He has exceptional size, great fluidity, good mobility, and a terrific wingspan for a potential NBA big, but lacks the type of lower body strength that would give him the ability to prevent stronger NBA big men from backing him down in the post and the polish to get by on his skill-level alone."


• Swish Scout: "Finesse big man with a nice post game, midrange shooting, rebounding, and shot blocking ability. Benson is refined post player with a mature skill set, but could afford to put on a minimum of 10-15 pounds to his frame to improve his upper body strength to handle contact against on stronger post players in the NBA, which will be the major underlying issue in his game upon entering the league."

Highlights:


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Saying Goodbye: Keith Benson

In this world of NBA Draft early entry and one-and-done freshman, it is difficult to become attached to a college star. They simply don't hang around long enough. But when they do, that player becomes the fan favorite. There is nothing like watching a kid develop from a overwhelmed freshman into star as a senior. Those are the players that the fans connect with.

We reached out to some of the blogosphere's best, and over the next couple of weeks we will be running a series of posts saying goodbye to some of the country's best seniors.

Our second installment of "Saying Goodbye" is on Oakland center Keith Benson and is being provided by Corey fromGolden Grizzlies Gameplan

Deep down, part of me hoped that Oakland's magical season and Keith Benson's rise as a mid-major darling were enough to convince someone else to head to the O'rena that evening to see the senior center for the final time. They, too, would see history in the making. Though Benson didn't break a coveted record that night, he did walk off the O'rena court as the most decorated player to ever come through the program. When they introduced him to the crowd before the game, the list of accomplishments they read off seemed to last an hour. Benson, who has a reputation as a bit of a quiet giant, took it all in stride, but one couldn't quite tell if he was embarrassed in the way that someone might be when a long list of their accolades is being read off, or if he was secretly grinning inside as to say "I told you so" to all of his doubters.

Throughout his five years at Oakland, one of which was a redshirt year, it's that mental aspect of Keith Benson, also known as "Kito," that has been his most polarizing trait. Folks often questioned his desire to win because he seemed so nonchalant in his early days, and once he started being talked about for his NBA potential, it seemed every scout or scouting service had something to say about his demeanor, his toughness, or his "motor."

As an impassioned fan, I live and die with every Oakland shot, and I know that Keith Benson has been there to fight for the rebound of every one of those shots if they didn't fall through the net. During his sophomore campaign, he came away with Oakland's go-ahead dunk in the waning seconds of the 2008 Summit League Tournament Championship. He would have gone dancing with his teammates because of that dunk had fate not determined that it was simply North Dakota State's year (thanks, Ben Woodside).

As a junior, Benson had two monster blocks in the final minutes of that same championship setting, which sealed Oakland's second ever trip to the Big Dance. One of those blocks, which will forever live as one of my favorite moments as a Golden Grizzlies fan, came on a play where IUPUI had a lone player in transition, and Benson flat-out denied him. And when he was in the conference tournament's final game again as a senior, he overpowered Oral Roberts' frontline to the tune of 28 points and 14 rebounds. He was active on every play, for all 38 minutes he was in the game.

When it mattered most, Keith Benson was Oakland's hero. He leaves the program as one of the winningest players in program history, and certainly as the most dominating and accomplished. He was never a showboat. Nor was he ever mopey. He was never in trouble off the court or on it. In fact, when he was T'd up earlier this season, a few friends and I wondered if we could ever remember Benson putting himself in a position to get a technical, let alone actually getting one. Benson simply came to play basketball. He made his team better, and in each of the three years that he was a significant contributor, his team made it to the conference tournament championship. In his final two seasons, he led Oakland to the NCAA Tournament. You don't accomplish those things, while never missing a game, without having a motor, some toughness, or a desire to win.

The funny thing about being a mid-major star is that it's not often said player is even celebrated much on his own campus. A few of my undergraduate years overlapped with Benson's, and I'm fairly certain there are probably more die-hard college basketball fans from around the country who know of his dominance and NBA potential than those on Oakland's campus. That's not necessarily a condemnation of OU's fanbase, but for a large commuter university in the suburbs, it's simply how things work.

But beyond potentially being Oakland's first NBA draft pick, Keith Benson will leave another legacy in Rochester. As the most dominant player on a team with back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, he is the face of a program that more people, especially students, want to support. His accomplishments have brought on a new level of national interest in the Oakland program, landing his name and Oakland's in a number of respected publications or telecasts and on even more websites than one could count. More people know about Oakland than did before Kito arrived to campus, and by and large those representations of the university have been very positive.

For his efforts on the basketball court, Keith Benson will likely make a lot of money in the very near future. That's something us die-hard Golden Grizzlies fans are extremely excited about. Beyond that, Benson has helped raise the profile of not just the basketball program, but also the university. As an alumnus of Oakland U, where I had a great academic and social experience, that's a contribution I appreciate even more than wins on the court (well, maybe not). When a guy like Kyrie Irving leaves Duke, it's but a small footnote for a historic program and university. But when a guy like Benson departs from a school like Oakland, it's a very big deal.

The exposure a mid-major receives from such a player is invaluable. And because he's unlikely to get props for that impact, as but one of many Grizzly fans, I thank you, Kito.

Make us proud in the NBA!


More from "Saying Goodbye"
2011:Preston Knowles, Louisville
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2010 NBA Draft Early Entrants: Who helps themselves the most by returning to school

The NBA Draft's Early Entry deadline came and went on Sunday. Today, we will provide you with a bit of fodder over how some of this year's decisions could sway the 2010-11 college basketball season. For a complete list of this year's crop of early entrants, click here.

I am not opposed to early entry into the NBA Draft. In fact, I often support the decision of many of these kids to enter the professional ranks. When the opportunity to become a first round pick presents itself, there is no reason for me to protest against a kid pursuing his dream and making a (substantial) living. If you are blessed enough to be an NBA-worthy talent, there is no reason not to cash-in on your ability.

The issue I have is with the kids that stay in the draft when it would suit them best to go back to school for a year. I understand that this season is unique, with a potential NBA lockout looming, but there are still players who may be able to move up draft boards -- and possibly earn themselves a guaranteed contract -- by returning to school.

While it is a less-than-ideal format this year (and believe me, that is putting it lightly, but that is another post for another day), the ability to test the waters is great for these kind of players. In a perfect world, they can work out for NBA scouts, see where they stand in terms of the NBA Draft, and either continue on with their efforts to lock up a guaranteed contract or return to school and work on the specific aspects of their game that need improvement to up their stock as a draft pick.

Which players should pull their name out of the draft? Note that we are only considering guys that we deem potential first rounders one day. There are a lot of players with their names in the draft that clearly need to head back to school, or simply tested the waters because they are a junior.


Chris Wright, Dayton, junior: Wright has always been a sensational athlete. You don't get the nickname "Top Flight" easily. Wright is 6'8", strong, athletic, and built in the mold of the power wing/combo forward that has become a trend in today's NBA. As a junior, Wright finally started to show some flashes of a developed perimeter game, which he will need in order to become an NBA player. Every player in the NBA is an elite athlete. To warrant a first round pick, you need to bring something else to the table.

Chris Wright, if he's smart, will return to Dayton and get up a lot of jumpers this summer.
(photo credit: Dayton Daily News)

But Wright isn't quite there yet. He jump shot, ball-handling skills, and instincts on the perimeter still need some work. If he can put in the work this summer, and develop himself like, say, Quincy Pondexter did this year, he should be able to work his way into next year's first round. This season, it is very likely that he will fall into the second round.


JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, Purdue, juniors: Moore is the obvious one here. While he is a very good player at the college level, he lacks the ideal size and athleticism of an NBA two guard, and he isn't a point guard. Simply put, I'm not sure if the NBA is in Moore's future.

Johnson, on the other hand, has the potential to be a first round pick if he comes back. 6'10" and athletic with a soft touch on the perimeter will catch a lot of eyes. But Johnson's issue is his strength. He's just a slender guy, weighing right around 215 lb with a frame that doesn't exactly look like it can add a lot of size.

Johnson isn't a first rounder this year. If he decides to stay in the draft, he will be in that mix of guys looking to steal one of the last 10 picks of the draft. Given his limitations and the quality of talent in the 20-45 range, odds are good that he slips into the second round. But if he spends a summer in the weight room and showcases a better low post game next season for what should be a very good Purdue team, he would likely be a first round pick in 2011. Johnson has gone from the JV for his high school team as a junior to a potential NBA pick in four years. He clearly works hard and is willing to put in the effort to make himself better. The NBA can wait another year.


Keith Benson, Oakland, junior: Benson, like Johnson, is a borderline first round pick this year. Like Johnson, he is tall, long, and athletic with a soft touch on the perimeter. And like Johnson, Benson lacks the strength that is required to be a post player in the NBA.

The talent is there for Keith Benson.
(photo credit: The Oakland Press)

Benson averaged 17 ppg this past season, but too much of that came from the perimeter. While he does have a foundation that should lead people to believe he can improve -- he has excellent footwork, for example -- he needs to get stronger and tougher. In a lot of cases, he is forced to be a perimeter shooter and a face-up big man not for a lack of post moves, but because he lacks the strength and the toughness to hold position on the block and finish those post moves. The strength and toughness issue shows through on the defensive end as well. Benson has first round potential, but he is much more likely to realize that potential if he waits for the 2011 draft.


Samardo Samuels, Louisville, sophomore: Samuels was a top five recruit coming out of high school, and certainly hasn't failed to be a very good player for Rick Pitino. I don't think anyone can complain when they are getting 15 and 7 out of a sophomore.

The problem is that Samuels doesn't really project as an NBA player. He is only 6'8" (and that may be generous) and is comparatively an underwhelming athlete -- he isn't overly quick or explosive. Samuels can survive at the collegiate level because he is strong, understands how to hold position, and has some effective post moves. But with his lack of a perimeter/face-up game, a 6'8" low post player is a long shot at getting picked in the first round, if at all. If Samuels decides to return to Louisville, he could very well be the best post player in the conference, if not the Big East player of the year.


Devin Ebanks, West Virginia, sophomore: Ebanks is a bit of an enigma. Standing 6'9", he is long and pretty athletic. But the issues with Ebanks aren't his tools, it is how he uses them. At times, he looked like he was capable of taking over games this season, but there were also times he looked absolutely lost.

I don't think Ebanks really understands how to play basketball. There were a number of times late in the season where he simply lost track of how much time was left on the clock, or looked completely lost on the offensive end. There is also the issue of an early season suspension and a perimeter game that is really lacking. Ebanks came into the season as a potential lottery pick, and his stock only dropped during the year. Leaving now, he may even end up in the second round. If he can come back and get people talking about his strengths, not his weaknesses, then he may boost himself back into the lottery next season, especially with the likelihood that his role will be expanded without Da'Sean Butler.

Other notable names who could benefit from an extra year in school:

• Avery Bradley, Texas, freshman: Everyone knows how good Bradley can be defensively, but he had an up and down season on the offensive end. With Damion James and Dexter Pittman graduating, Bradley would have the chance to be the focal point offensively. Its a double edged sword, because another inconsistent year could end up the label of strictly a defender.
• Terrico White, Ole Miss, sophomore: There is a lot to like about White. He has two guard size and athleticism, and has shown the ability to play the point (as a freshman, when Chris Warren was injured). He's a potential late first rounder this season, but could move up into the lottery if he goes back to school and has another good year.
• Manny Harris, Michigan, junior: Harris has first round talent, but it is tough to warrant using a first round pick on a guy that couldn't lead his college team to many wins, especially when the late first round is so loaded. Harris has a variety of skills, ut is still maturing as a player and a person as well as learning the game.
• Kenneth Faried, Morehead State, junior: I really like Faried's game. He's 6'8", he's athletic, he's energetic, he plays hard, he attacks the glass. He's the kind of blue-collar player that is going leave everything he has on the floor. Faried is probably never going to be a go-to scorer, but he doesn't need to be to find a spot in the league. He may not improve his stock all that much if he comes back, but he would likely go higher in the draft next year simply because there won't be as many people in front of him on draft boards.
  

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