ESPN.com - Bennett's rising draft stock

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Saturday, January 19, 2013
Bennett's rising draft stock

By Luke Lapinski

Big things were expected from Anthony Bennett this season, and he hasn't disappointed. UNLV is 15-3 overall (2-1 in Mountain West play) heading into tonight's tilt with Colorado State, and it's tough to dispute the notion that the talented freshman is the main reason why. The Rebels are loaded, but have had to make do without Mike Moser for seven games this year and really haven't missed a beat. Meanwhile, Bennett leads the club in points (19.0) and rebounds (8.9) per game.

His performance to this point puts him firmly among the top two or three first-year players in the nation. That much has been established. So now it's worth asking where exactly he ranks among NBA prospects for this summer's draft. Many believed Bennett could be a potential lottery pick heading into the season, and now the bar has been raised even higher. Our own Chad Ford ranks him at No. 5 on his most recent big board, behind only Nerlens Noel (Kentucky), Shabazz Muhammad (UCLA), Ben McLemore (Kansas) and Alex Len (Maryland). That also puts him just ahead of Cody Zeller -- everyone's pick for Player of the Year heading into the 2012-13 campaign. Zeller has performed admirably, so it's not a knock on what he's achieved. Instead, it's an indicator of just how well Bennett is playing. And he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down.

Chad Ford

Ready for the next level

"Bennett laid claim to the title of "best freshman in college basketball" until McLemore started doing his thing a few weeks ago. Bennett has made a seamless transition from high school to college ball thanks to a NBA body, a huge 7-foot-1 wingspan, elite athletic ability and a game that allows him to score inside and out. If he was 2 to 3 inches taller, he'd be a lock for the No. 1 spot."