Jonathan Bender

Bender was selected with the fifth pick by the Toronto Raptors in the 1999 NBA Draft out of Picayune Memorial High School in Picayune, Mississippi despite a verbal commitment to Mississippi State University. The Raptors then traded Bender to the Indiana Pacers for Antonio Davis. Being hyped for his size, athleticism and all around skill, Bender scored 10 points in 13 minutes against Cleveland on December 10, 1999. He became the first high school draftee to score in double figures in his NBA debut, which was an instance repeated only two other times (four if you expand the range to those that played in the league while still being 18 years old at the time of their debuts). However, Bender had been plagued by expectations and injuries ever since he arrived in Indiana. Meanwhile, the Raptors who defeated the Pacers a few times since then would go on to the make the playoffs three times in a…