Anthony Bennett is trying to become the first inverted one-year wonder. LeBron James wouldn't tolerate any less.
Chris Bosh happy LeBron James left the Miami Heat?
Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft is busy putting a painful rookie season behind him and starting to show some of the qualities that made him the top pick, ProBasketballTalk.NBCSports.com reported Monday.
Bennett is entering his second year as a member of the suddenly star-studded Cleveland Cavaliers. He has shed 19 pounds from his rookie campaign and is starting to feel at home in the NBA Summer League - because Bennett is home of sorts, having gone to high school in Vegas and playing his one year of collegiate basketball at UNLV.
He grabbed 14 rebounds during a game Sunday night, which impressed new Cavs coach Dave Blatt.
"You grab 14 rebounds you got a place to play," new Cavaliers coach Dave Blatt said. "AB has been good since Day 1, since I came," Blatt said. "He's really working hard to get himself in shape. He's really, really trying hard to do a lot of things on the court to help the team win and not be under pressure to do one thing just to stay on the floor. It's a work in progress."
Dan Gilbert needed LeBron James to say he was wrong to for the Cavs reunion to work out
Bennett said losing the weight was the easy part.
"It wasn't really that tough," said Bennett, who added he has a personal chef now. "My body is kind of weird. I can gain weight fast, I can lose weight fast. So it was just me maintaining it. Watching what I eat at night."
A shoulder injury forced to miss summer workouts before his rookie season, and he gained weight and lost confidence. Bennett average just 4.2 points and 3.0 rebounds on a Cavaliers team that missed the playoffs.
The arrival of LeBron James could be a blessing or a curse for Bennett. On one hand, James' presence is going to take a lot of pressure off everyone.
On the other hand, with the Cavaliers figuring to be a much improved team that can contend for an NBA title next season, minutes may be hard to come by, especially of Bennett loses some of that confidence he earned in Las Vegas.
Do you think Anthony Bennett can win the NBA's Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2014-15? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN .
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
