Jonathan Bender Biography

Jonathan Bender played 11 seasons in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks after an All-American career at Picayune Memorial High School in Picayune, Mississippi. After his senior year he was named the MVP of the 1999 McDonald’s High School All-American game and was selected in the first round as the fifth overall pick of the Toronto Raptors in the NBA Draft. Upon joining the Raptors he was highly touted for his combination of size and athleticism and considered to be one of the best ball handlers in draft history. Throughout his career he was a consistent player off the bench for the Pacers and helped them to a solid performance in the 2004 NBA Playoffs. Bender retired from the NBA and 2004 invented the JB Intensive Trainer, a resistance-training device used to strengthen muscles and joints. In 2006 he founded the Jonathan Bender Foundation in New Orleans to help with the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. 

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