KIPP Legacy has a strong core of young players who will not only make for a tough opponent this season, but for years to come. Bentley is the nucleus thanks to his ability to impact the game on or off the ball. Marcus Helton also broke down Bentley’s performance from the weekend, but I felt the need to echo the sentiments as the combo guard showed really impressive flashes in transition as a crafty scorer. As he pushes tempo, he has a tight handle, can change direction on the stop of a dime and is no stranger to initiating contact, which he showed concentration and body control to finish through. In the half court, he can get off the ball and in the game that I watched closely, did a nice job of attacking gaps against the zone defense where he forced a collapse and quickly found others or used long step-throughs to get to the cup.

His aggression and tenacity translates to his defensive presence as well. Bentley is constantly looking to shoot the passing lanes and collect steals for run outs. On the ball, he stunts at the ball with those active hands and on a few occasions, picked the ball loose as he gave opposing guards fits.

The 6-foot-3 Bentley plays with great energy and has the ability to impact games on both ends of the floor. 

Offensively, Bentley is smooth in transition, blowing by defenders in the open floor. He uses his size and athleticism well while attacking the basket, and finishes effectively from tough angles. Beyond his scoring ability, Bentley shines as a facilitator; he reads the floor with great maturity, consistently making sharp, unselfish decisions. His vision and ability to collapse defenses allow him to draw extra defenders and consistently deliver pinpoint passes to open teammates for easy looks.

Defensively he’s very active, harassing opposing ballhandlers and swooping in for helpside blocks and steals. His combination of length and quickness gives him good defensive versatility, allowing him to guard multiple positions effectively.

With his well-rounded skill set, high basketball IQ, and two-way impact, Bentley boasts an intriguingly high ceiling and is primed for a standout season with KIPP Legacy.

Bentley brought the energy as a junkyard dog type of guard who wasn’t shy about sticking his nose in the mix to earn extra possessions for his team. It seemed like whenever there was a 50/50 ball or rebounds just outside of his area, Bentley pursued aggressively and always came out with the possession. He’s an aggressive downhill threat who invites contact on drives to draw fouls, but can also show composure and balance on shots off movement from the perimeter. He’ll be a name on our radar this spring/summer during 3SSB play.