Jonathan Bender

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Jonathan Rene Bender (born January 30, 1981 in Picayune, Mississippi) is an American former professional basketball player in the NBA.

Bender was selected with the fifth pick by the Toronto Raptors in the 1999 NBA Draft, straight out of Picayune Memorial High School in Picayune, Mississippi despite a verbal commitment to Mississippi State. He was then traded to the Indiana Pacers for veteran forward Antonio Davis. Bender was hyped for his size, athleticism and all around skill. For many, Bender proved disappointing, never averaging double digits in scoring and suffering from numerous injuries. A persistent sore right knee limited him to just seven games in 2004-05.

Highlights of Bender's all too brief career included an outstanding performance in the Pacers' 2004 playoff series with the Celtics, where he lead the Pacers in scoring in game 3, and set personal playoff career bests in rebounds and minutes in game 2. In 2001, Bender participated in the Slam Dunk competition during All-Star weekend, where he executed a Julius Erving-style tomahawk jam from the free throw line, left-handed.

Jonathan scored a record 31 points for the West at the 1999 McDonald's High School All-America Game, breaking the previous mark of 30 set by Michael Jordan in 1981.

He is a cousin of current Raptors guard, Morris Peterson.

On February 4, 2006, Bender was forced into retirement due to chronic knee pain, although he has yet to file retirement papers with the NBA. He played for seven years from 1999 to 2006. The end of his basketball career finalized when the Pacers waived him on June 14, 2006 ^[1].