In the NBA, where almost everything happens, some tales rise to the heights of legend, while others find themselves woven into the complex fabric of the sport’s history. Among these narratives lies the fall down of Anthony Bennett, the once-heralded first-overall pick in the NBA draft. Once a beacon of hope for his franchise, Bennett’s trajectory took an unexpected turn, leaving some of us wondering: Where is Anthony Bennet now?
The Rise and Fall of Anthony Bennett
In 2013, the Canadian standout from UNLV, Anthony Bennett, was selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Many fans were surprised that the Cavs took Bennett despite him not being the best player in that class nor was he in most mock draft’s top picks. We all knew how his career went and technically, he never bloomed. Bennett would be drafted in 2013 but would eventually be out of the league after only four years. He would only average 4.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in his NBA career.
Those who have seen him play believe that Bennett had potential, however, it was his mentality that held him back. He had work ethic issues and obviously lost his confidence in the game. Moreover, because of his poor performance, Anthony Bennett was getting a lot of hate comments and criticism from NBA fans, which would eventually take a toll on his mental health. The former first-pick would bounce around the NBA, and by 2017, no team would take him in. Bennett had a rough professional basketball journey and could go down as the worst number 1 pick in history. Despite being ridiculed through the years (just like Kwame Brown), it’s sad to see an athlete not be able to reach his potential on the biggest stage.
Right now, it seems that Anthony Bennett is thriving in Taiwan
After his short stint in the NBA, Anthony Bennett would find himself playing overseas. In 2017, Bennett signed with Fenerbahçe of the Turkish Basketball Super League and would help them win the EuroLeague title that year. From 2017 until 2019, Bennett would return to the NBA, but this time, in the G-League. He will become the first and only number-one pick to play in that league. As the years pass, people are already forgetting about Bennett and how he became a bust. But, in 2022, he would sign in Taiwan’s P.League+ and would find himself again.
In February 2022, Anthony Bennett signs with the Kaohsiung Steelers but would transfer to the Hsinchu JKO Lioneers in August. Thankfully, the 30-year-old forward is confident with himself again. In his first year as a Lioneer, Bennett is already the team’s leading scorer with a 23.2 PPG average. Add that with an impressive 12.2 rebound per game average, Bennett is looking like a superstar in Taiwan. Hopefully, he continues his performance and proves the haters wrong.
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