Anthony Bennett Cavs

It has been a rough start for Cavs first-overall pick Anthony Bennett, but his college coach, UNLV's Dave Rice, believes Bennett will come through in the end

(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- UNLV men's basketball coach Dave Rice was about to board a plane for Saturday's game at San Diego State when he took a few minutes to talk about Cavaliers rookie Anthony Bennett.

"I'll always talk about Anthony Bennett," Rice said. "He's special.''

Cavs fans may not believe that yet, as the No. 1 draft choice has struggled in his rookie season. He is averaging just 2.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in just over 10 minutes a game, and he didn't play at all in the final three games of the recent five-game Western Conference trip.

Rice knows that. He tries to watch as many Cavs games as he can, and he has been talking and texting Bennett, trying to encourage him.

Is Bennett discouraged?

"The biggest thing with AB is, he's such a good guy that he's a pleaser,'' Rice said. "He wants to please coach [Mike] Brown and he wants to please the Cavalier fans and he wants to play well.

"Obviously, he wants to play well for himself, but more than anything he wants to play well. I think he feels a certain amount of responsibility because he was the No. 1 pick in the draft, and Cleveland put their faith in him and he wants to pay that back. That's just the kind of quality young guy he is. I think he will work really, really hard in the offseason and have a breakout year next year.

"People will be very happy in Cleveland with how he plays next year."

That's not necessarily what fans want to hear, but Rice has seen how good Bennett can be.

In 35 games (32 starts), Bennett averaged 16.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 27.1 minutes at UNLV, was named Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, was first-team All-Mountain West, MWC all-tournament and one of 15 finalists on the ballot for the John R. Wooden National Player of the Year Award.

Scouts who saw him play last year -- Rice said no one scouted Bennett more than the Cavs -- raved about his scoring ability and how fierce he was around the basket, traits that have not been evident so far in his professional career.

"He was our leading scorer,'' Rice said. "He was a jump shooter, but we also posted him up a bunch, too. He scored for us in a variety of ways. Obviously, this is our level and the NBA is a different game at a different level. But he's a very, very capable shooter and when he gets into a rhythm he can really knock them down.

"We actually ball screened for him and had him put it on the floor. He's a multi-dimensional player. He's not playing with a whole lot of confidence right now. That's nobody's fault. That's just the nature of moving up a level.''

Rice thinks off-season shoulder surgery set Bennett back, but he also thinks he will make up for it this summer.

"The one thing is, Anthony Bennett is a terrific person,'' Rice said. "He's very deferential almost. I know even on our team he was our best player. He was a freshman, but he just wanted to fit in. He didn't want to step on the toes of the upperclassmen. There were times I actually had to encourage him to take over a game. He's very, very capable of doing that.

"But I think a lot of it is his character. He wants to fit in. I have no doubt that he's going to be a terrific NBA player. I know that he hasn't gotten off to a great start, but I have a lot of confidence in him just because of his character and his talent and his basketball IQ.''

Cavs executives say exactly the same thing as they face a bit of a dilemma since the arrival of Luol Deng. Whereas there had been opportunities for Bennett -- either at his natural power forward spot or at small forward -- before Deng arrived, those minutes have disappeared. Earl Clark, who celebrated his 26th birthday in Friday's 117-109 victory at Denver, is the backup power forward. When Deng comes out, Brown often turns to his three-guard lineup with one of those guards filling the small forward spot.

Rice wouldn't offer an opinion on whether some time with the NBA Development League team in Canton might help Bennett, but he said he knows Bennett would be open to the possibility. Bennett said the same thing last week in Los Angeles.

"Whatever Chris Grant and coach Brown decide is absolutely what AB would agree with,'' Rice said. "He's a wonderful teammate. He's a guy who desperately wants to win. He's got too much talent, too much character and too high a basketball IQ not too be successful.

"It's a huge transition for guys, especially when you think about his conditioning because of the shoulder injury. I think he will make huge strides from his first year to his second year. I expect him to have a breakout second year in the NBA.''

So what would Rice say to fretting fans?

The coach didn't hesitate.

""Everyone be a little bit patient,'' he said, "and he will be a terrific Cavalier.''