When the Suns selected Dragan Bender with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 draft and then acquired No. 8 pick Marquese Chriss from the Sacramento Kings in a draft-day trade, they were trying to hit the lottery.

Twice.

Both players were just 18 years old. Chriss played one year of college ball at the University of Washington, and Bender had last played with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League. The Suns could have taken more experienced players – Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield and Providence’s Kris Dunn were available with the fourth pick – but they were rebuilding and needed front-court help so they decided to take a chance on two unproven but potentially dynamic players.

One year later, the Suns think they’ve cashed in on Chriss. On Tuesday, coach Earl Watson said he believes Chriss can be a future All-Star.

Like most teenagers trying to make their way in the NBA, the 6-foot-10 Chriss had his share of good and bad moments last season. He played in all 82 games, averaging 9.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Among rookies, Chriss and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid were the only players to finish in the top 10 in points, rebounds, field-goal percentage, steals and blocked shots.

But Chriss admittedly was lost on defense too often and he was his own worst enemy; his 3.2 fouls per game tied for seventh in the league and of the 10 players who averaged at least 3.2 fouls he played the fewest minutes per game. He also was whistled for 11 technical fouls.

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Watson, asked what Chriss needs to improve on this season, smiled and said: “Mainly, we know the technical fouls first off. The second thing is his rebounding. I think he’s too athletic not to be a monster on the boards.”

Chriss, who likely will see time both at power forward and center, echoed that sentiment, saying he needs to make a “100 percent effort to rebound. That’s the biggest thing. It’s just hustle and effort. I want to be a great rebounder. I think that’s something I can hang my hat on. It’s something that will let me stay in this league for a long time. As athletic as I am, just take advantage of that while I have it.”

Defensively, Chriss believes a little knowledge will go a long way. He said he was playing on instinct last year rather than understanding Phoenix’s defensive rotations. As a result, he often found himself out of position, unable to help.

“Being a rookie you’re more naïve,” he said. “I’m starting to think more as a basketball player. Knowing where I’m supposed to be will put me in a better position to use my instincts and my athleticism.”

Bender’s trajectory is far less certain. He played in just 43 games his rookie season because of ankle surgery and didn’t see much playing time this summer for Croatia’s national team at FIBA EuroBasket 2017. But as Watson noted: “Dragan is still only 19. We’ve got to be realistic with his age. Everybody is not on the 19-year-old Devin Booker projection. That’s rare.”

Bender’s development may rest on how quickly he forgets about his birth certificate. Bender always has been one of the youngest – if not the youngest – players on his teams. As a result, he’s deferred to older, more established teammates. That was the case with Croatia this summer, in his four professional seasons in Europe and his rookie year with the Suns.

Phoenix sees the 7-foot-1 Bender as an athletic hodgepodge, a stretch power forward who can bring the ball up the floor, shoot 3-pointers and, after gaining some bulk, be an effective defender. But for those gifts to blossom, Bender has to assert himself.

“It’s just a mind shift,” Watson said. “I wish I had an NBA coach tell me at 19 and 20 to be overaggressive. Shoot the ball every time you touch it. Be aggressive and attack the rim. The opportunity is there; he just has to take it upon himself to do it.”

There were glimpses last season. In the second-to-last game of the year, Bender had nine points and eight rebounds in 35 minutes against Dallas. He scored 10 points in the season opener, becoming only the fourth 18-year-old to score double-digits in a season opener. The others: Dwight Howard, LeBron James and Booker.

But those games were the exception. Bender scored fewer than five points in 29 of the 43 games he played and had two rebounds or fewer in 27 of the games.

“I have to be more aggressive on offense,” he said.

Whatever progress Bender might have made his rookie year was compromised by the ankle surgery that sidelined him for almost two months and 28 straight games.

“It was definitely frustrating coming down with the injury and the other young guys having a chance to play a lot of minutes,” he said. “

Bender is healthy now, and he teased what he could be during one play in Wednesday night’s scrimmage in Flagstaff when he grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast-to-coast for a layup on the other end.

“Take the ball off the floor, push it in transition and make plays,” Watson said.

When the Suns got Bender and Chriss on the same night 15 months ago, General Manager Ryan McDonough said, “I really haven’t seen too many guys who can do some of the things those two guys can do in my 13 or 14 drafts.”

The Suns hope that potential turns into promise this season.

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