Only a year ago, Brampton, Ontarios Anthony Bennett was making a splash in the NCAA at UNLV, averaging 16. Andrew Cashner Jersey .1 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, shooting .533 per cent from the field and .375 per cent from the three-point line with a good mix of power and range. The 68" freshman was drawing comparisons to former alum and Naismith Player of the Year Larry Johnson, and was considered a cant-miss NBA lottery pick. Today, two months into his rookie NBA season after being selected first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2013 Draft, ESPNs NBA Insider Chad Ford says "hes looking like the worst #1 draft pick of the last twenty years." Bennetts season averages of 2.5 points and 2.1 rebounds per game, shooting .275 per cent from the field, .556 per cent from the free throw line and .148 per cent from behind the arc in 10.5 minutes per game do little to contravene Fords claim. Bennetts agent and former AAU coach Mike George feels the media criticism is making a bigger story than necessary and is tinged with bias. "Obviously hes the #1 pick so theres a lot of pressure in that regard," George says. "I also think the fact that hes Canadian [means] a lot of the American media are not telling both sides of the story." Yet, Ford was also the biggest champion of the now since forgotten, Serbian 7-footer Darko Milicic, who in 2002 was drafted behind LeBron James and ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. So how did Bennett go from stud to dud? Last January, he developed a torn left rotator cuff which he played through, until the Runnin Rebels were eliminated from the NCAA tournament in March. After declaring for the draft, he had shoulder surgery in May and wasnt cleared for basketball activity until September, missing all of Summer League. He finally was able to participate in Clevelands training camp, with a focus of getting back into game shape, working on his conditioning and losing weight. The other side of the story that George refers to - the unfair media criticism - is that the Cavaliers strategy was always to ease Bennett in. Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer, who covers the team, agrees. "They actually are kind of stacked at power forward," she says. "So bringing him along slowly, on what they anticipated was going to be a playoff team, was definitely part of the plan. I know that they are a little sensitive to criticism of him, compared to some of the other players. They say if he played as many minutes as some of these other players, his stats would be better. Im not sure I am totally in agreement on that." But minutes are hard to come by for a rookie on an underperforming 11-21 squad searching for wins. Sending him down to the D-League isnt an option that the Cavaliers are entertaining, so is their master plan working? "For the past two months, hes been going two-a-days and getting himself back in shape," George says. "Thats why hes cut his weight down to 243 right now, and you see the difference between his play today and the start of the season. He looks different on the floor, hes running better, and playing with more confidence." Schmitt Boyer offers a more measured assessment. "Its very, very incremental," she says. "Hell do little things that coaches see and will point out to him when they are going through game footage. But I do think hes catching on and getting a little better, although theyve set the bar pretty low. I sense that his confidence is actually getting better. Even if it might not be totally showing up in his stats, theyre showing more confidence in him." That confidence, coupled with opportunity, may be the shift Bennett needs, as he has lost 17 pounds since training camp. The Cavaliers have indefinitely suspended centre Andrew Bynum, freeing up minutes in the frontcourt and have ended the small forward experiment, moving him back to his natural slot in the power forward position. "Is he starting off slower than a number 1 pick should?" Schmitt Boyer asks. "Yes, and Im not trying to soften what hes doing in any means. A couple years ago, people were really down on Tristan Thompson and now Im not sure he wouldnt be the second pick in that draft. Its a little quick to determine him the worst number one pick in twenty years. He may well be a bust, I just dont think its fair to say that after two months in the NBA." The end result of Bennetts rookie campaign lies somewhere in between. He wont go down as the worst pick in the last twenty years, yet is hard pressed to live up to the standard of a number one draft pick. Make no mistake, no one will pencil him in for the All-Rookie team just yet, but chances are high Bennett will prove that Ford may have been suffering from a case of premature proclamation. Mike Napoli Jersey . 1 player in the world. So Duval gutted it out Thursday at the Byron Nelson Championship despite the pain from a muscle issue in his right elbow, a day after his stepson had to drive him because he couldnt even use that arm. Josh Hamilton Jersey . After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. http://www.rangersapparelsshop.com/tyson-ross-jersey-c-31/ . -- New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wanted to keep Logan Mankins with the team for a long time.BERLIN -- Schalke ended Bayer Leverkusens winning start to the Bundesliga on Saturday with a 2-0 win that relieves the pressure on coach Jens Keller following the clubs poor league start. "Im very proud of the team," Keller said. "We were getting it in the ears so much. It was always a problem of mentality." Marco Hoeger scored against the run of play for the home side in the 30th, when he got a slight touch with the back of his head to Jefferson Farfans free kick. Son Heung-min came closest for Leverkusen in the second half, but was denied by a good save from Timo Hildebrand, before new signing Dennis Aogo called Bernd Leno into action at the other end. Farfan secured his sides first win of the season with a penalty in the 83rd, after he had dusted himself off from Emir Spahics poorly executed challenge in the area. "Im delighted that we were able to get the three points. The team performance was outstanding," said Kevin-Prince Boateng, who started for Schalke after switching from AC Milan the day before. The loss ended Leverkusens club record eight-game winning streak in the Bundesliga. "We were lacking the drive we had in the last games," said Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voeller. Earlier Saturday, Hamburger SV defeated promoted Eintracht Braunschweig 4-0 to buy Thorsten Fink some breathing space after his side mimicked Schalkes start to the season. "Now we have a bit of peace for the first time in two weeks," said Fink, whose side had conceded nine goals and claimed just one point from its previous three games. Rafael van der Vaart slid in ahead of a defender to poke home the opening goal in the seventh minute, and Jacques Zoua made it 2-0 with a tap-in 10 minutes later after some shoddy defending from the visitors. Hakan Calhanoglu scored in the 80th, one minute after coming on as a substitute, when Daniel Davari failed to hold his speculative effort, and Calhanoglu then wrapped up hiss sides first win of the season with a fine free kick in injury time. Ivan Rodriguez Jersey. "I always wanted to score two goals in a Bundesliga game. Today is a dream come true for me," said the 19-year-old Calhanoglu. Hannover came from behind to defeat Mainz 4-1 and end the visitors winning start to the season. Mainz midfielder Nicolai Mueller scored his fifth of the season in the 12th, when a wayward clearance form Marcelo allowed Christoph Moritz set him up. But Mame Diouf equalized with a header in the 31st, despite Johannes Geis effort to clear off the line, Artur Sobiech made it 2-1 after Lars Stindl eluded three defenders to set him up, Didier Ya Konan scored after a well-worked move in the 80th, and Edgar Prib wrapped up the win three minutes later. Borussia Moenchengladbach defeated Werder Bremen 4-1, with Juan Arango opening the scoring in the 36th after a great pass from Granit Xhaka, and Raffael scoring from a rebound in the 53rd. Havard Nordtveits own goal gave the visitors some hope in the 69th, only for Max Kruse to score five minutes later and Patrick Herrmann to wrap it up in the 85th. Wolfsburg defeated visiting Hertha Berlin 2-0 through Ivica Olics 42nd-minute strike, and a penalty earned and converted by Diego before the break. "What bothers me is that we werent able to get the third or fourth goal in the second half," Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking said. Kevin Vogts 84th-minute goal was enough for Augsburg to win 1-0 at Nuremberg, which had Javier Pinola sent off for a second yellow card in the 76th. The Argentine was furious with the decision and could see further sanctions for his reaction. "The late goal wasnt so good for the nerves," Augsburg coach Markus Weinzierl said. Borussia Dortmund visits Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday, when Stuttgart hosts Hoffenheim. Defending champion Bayern Munich drew 1-1 with Freiburg on Tuesday in a game moved forward because of Fridays UEFA Super Cup. Stitched Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Discount Jerseys China NFL Hoodies China NFL Hoodies Cheap NFL Black Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China ' ' '