Dragan Bender declares for 2016 NBA draft

Dragan Bender has entered the 2016 NBA draft, according to his agent.

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Dragan Bender has entered the 2016 NBA draft, his agent told ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla.

The 18-year-old Croatian who is playing with Maccabi Tel-Aviv in Israel is ranked No. 3 on SI’s big board, after LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram. Bender, a seven-footer, has averaged 4.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12 minutes per game this season after a dominant season with the Maccabi Tel Aviv Junior Team.

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The draft will take place on June 23.

– Kenny Ducey