About Dragan Bender
Dragan Bender is a Croatian former professional basketball player. He stands 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) and played the power forward and center positions. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft but only played four years in the league. Bender represents the Croatian national team, with experience in the FIBA Europe junior tournaments. Before playing in Israel, he competed with multiple teams in Croatia and in Nikola Vujčić's academy. With Bender playing alongside Devin Booker and fellow rookie Marquese Chriss, the Suns became the first NBA team to get three teenagers on the floor in the same game. Vujčić was a former Maccabi Tel Aviv star and became Bender's guardian. As the fourth overall pick, Bender became the Suns' highest-selected rookie since Armen Gilliam was taken second overall in 1987, and the highest-selected Croatian to be taken in an NBA draft.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.