Phoenix Suns forward Dragan Bender is only 18 years old, so it feels a little bit mean to shame him for a rookie mistake. This particular mistake, though, was a whopper. On Wednesday against the Utah Jazz, Bender caught the ball on the perimeter and looked to swing the ball. He took a dribble to try to get a better passing lane, getting away with a travel in the process. When he picked up his dribble, Jazz forward Trey Lyles pressured him. In a panic, Bender dribbled the ball again. He was whistled for the most embarrassing of violations, the double-dribble.
It is rare to see a double-dribble in an NBA game. This is what it looks like:
No rookie wants to turn the ball over on a simple swing pass near halfcourt. What ended up happening, though, was much worse. I wonder if the Suns took a look at this play when they watched the film from this game.
Also: As much as this shows a lack of poise on Bender's part, it shows impressive perimeter defense from Utah. Look at George Hill and Trey Lyles waving their long arms around, making the pass to Leandro Barbosa seem impossible. The Jazz should be one of the best defensive teams in the NBA this season.
