With the help of some friends, I've been attempting to put together the ultimate cast in the event that someone, either as a tribute to John Hughes or out of sheer lack of originality, decides to remake the "Brat Pack" classic, The Breakfast Club. What does that have to do with the Milk Carton All-Star of the Week? Well, very little. You see, in scouring through the cast list of the original Breakfast Club, I spotted Judd Nelson's character, John Bender. That gave me the idea to award this week's Carton to......wait for it........Jonathan Bender.
Bender was the 5th overall pick in 1999 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors, out of Picayune Memorial High School. He was then traded to Indiana for forward Antonio Davis. At 6'11, with a pencil-thin body, Bender gave NBA scouts Kevin Garnett flashbacks. Unfortunately, the man-crush Toronto had on Bender costed them the chance at drafting some of the other notable stars in the '99 Draft, such as Pistons championship lynchpin Richard Hamilton, versatile forward Shawn Marion, combo guard Jason Terry, and notorious psychopath Ron Artest. Oops.
Bender's career showed some promise. He became the first high school draftee to score double digits in his NBA debut, when he dropped 10 points in 13 minutes against Cleveland. However, he didn't start getting serious playing time until 2001 when he was averaging around 21 minutes a game and started 17 of the 72 games he appeared in. His averages that year? 7 points, 3 rebounds. Those numbers apparently convinced Indiana to give Bender a 4-year, $28.5 million extension. Despite being only 21 at the time, Bender would never best his 2001 numbers. A chronic knee condition sidelined him for most of the next four seasons and, in 2006 at the early age of 26, he announced his retirement from the NBA. All in all, Bender finished his career averaging 5 points and 2 rebounds a game. As for Marion, Hamilton, Artest and Terry? All are still entrenched in NBA starting lineups and, most recently, Artest and Marion just signed new long-term contracts with the Lakers and Mavericks respectively. Also enjoying a productive career in the NBA? The guy taken nearly a round after Bender, Gabe's man-crush, Manu Ginobli.
So let's give it up the 7-foot T-Mac.......Jonathan Bender!
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