Najviši hrvatski pick u povijesti NBA dragta - Dragan Bender - nalazi se u teškoj poziciji u Milwaukee Bucksima. Iako je u predsezoni pružao dobre partije, Bender je u svim dosadašnjim utakmicama regularnog dijela sezone ostao van sastava.
Shodno tome, Bucksi su ga prošlog tjedna poslali u momčad Wisconsin Herd, svoju filijalu u razvojnoj G-ligi, gdje je hrvatski reprezentativac krenuo u borbu za povratak u NBA. Odigrao je dvije utakmice i bio na prosjeku od 19 poena, 6.5 skokova, ali i 4.5 izgubljene lopte.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Bucks All-Star forward Khris Middleton is expected to miss several weeks with a left leg injury, but no serious damage in the leg, league sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthleticNBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAthleticNBA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Stadium?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Stadium</a>.</p>— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1194016416183279616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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A povratak u NBA ligu mogao bi uslijediti nakon što je Buckse zadesila teža ozljeda druge violine momčadi - Khrisa Middletona. On je zaradio ozljedu noge i van parketa će biti tri do četiri tjedna. Iako on i Bender ne igraju istu poziciju, ovo znači da se u momčadi oslobađa jedno mjesto, a s obzirom na činjenicu da su Bucksi nakon odličnih partija u G ligi vratili Bendera nazad u svoje redove, ovo bi mogla biti naznaka boljih dana za mladog Čapljinca.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The Bucks have recalled <a href="https://twitter.com/DBender03?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DBender03</a> from the <a href="https://twitter.com/WisconsinHerd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WisconsinHerd</a>.<br> <br>Bender started two games for the Herd while on assignment and averaged 19.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.0 assist and 1.0 steal in 29.9 minutes per game.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FearTheDeer?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FearTheDeer</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HerdUp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HerdUp</a> <a href="https://t.co/dJrUfXYD5D">pic.twitter.com/dJrUfXYD5D</a></p>— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1193634350371393536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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(foto: Reuters)