Ben Bentil spoke to Basketball Sphere about the episode in Japan, and touched on the time spent in Crvena Zvezda. Also, one of the topics was success of Panathinaikos, his former team.
At Providence University, Ben Bentil showed that he would have a high-quality career. In his second year, he became the team’s best player ahead of NBA prospect Kris Dunn. He averaged 21.1 points, with 7.7 rebounds and deservedly found a place in the NBA draft, when the Boston Celtics chose him as the 51st pick, to soon become the first Ghanaian in the best league in the world.
After the episode in China, he tried to get a more significant role in the Dallas Mavericks, but the question is how realistic it was, given that at that time Harrison Barnes and Dirk Nowitzki were playing in his position. Then he decided to try himself in Europe – Chalon, Bilbao, Peristeri, Panathinaikos, Bahcesehir, Milano and Crvena Zvezda were his stops.
Different cultures and different systems. This is what has always followed Ben Bentil, who after his stay in Belgrade continued on the same path and continued his career in Japan, playing for Gunma Crane Thunders. As much as Stephon Marbury paved the way for basketball in China, the other part of Asia, in this case Japan, had its pioneers.
Hassan Martin and his influence
One of them is Ben Bentil, who represented a new wave of EuroLeague players ready to explore that part of the basketball planet, confirming that the market has expanded even more and that Japan is a serious competitor to the giants of European basketball. Only last season, another former player of Crvena Zvezda, Hassan Martin, as well as Arturas Gudaitis, who wore the jerseys of Panathinaikos, Zenit, Milano and Zalgiris chose to go in that direction…
“It was fun in Japan. It’s a different style of play, a different experience. I learned a lot about all that, another culture. It can’t compare to Europe, but I enjoyed it. Hassan Martin had been there before, he told me about it. It was good for both of us. When we had time for it, we hung out.
He was the first to tell me about Japan. I had several offers from Europe, but at the same time, I wanted to see what it was like on another continent, and what kind of market it was. Asia was always a place I would go. When the opportunity came, I took it,” Bentil began talking to Basketball Sphere.
“We just needed one guy to lead us”
![dusko ivanovic](https://basketballsphere.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/dusko-ivanovic.jpg)
The decision to try it out in Japan surprised many. And that after the season in which he was part of the top team of Crvena Zvezda, with Facundo Campazzo, Luca Vildoza, the aforementioned Martin, as well as Dusko Ivanovic on the bench, one of the best experts in Europe. The power forward remembers that period very well.
“It was amazing. The fans were amazing, the team was great, a great group of guys. We didn’t make it to the EuroLeague playoffs, but everyone from that team was excellent. It’s one of those seasons to remember.”
Things did not look the best for the Crvena Zvezda that autumn of 2022. After a weak start, when it comes to the EuroLeague, there was a change of coach. Very quickly, the red and whites became the top team and at one point were in the best form in the competition.
“When Dusko Ivanovic came, we all felt that it was a change. We worked hard and that’s why we had a big series at the beginning. I always felt that we had the talent and we just needed one guy to lead us. Dusko Ivanovic was the one. He is an old school. He focuses on hard work and details.”
Radivoj Korac Kup – most memorable moment
There was a lot of talk about Ivanovic’s work methods. The Montenegrin strategist was considered conservative and unyielding, which is the opposite of how Bentil experienced him.
“Basketball has changed. When he came, he had his own way, but he was starting to learn and listen to how we can help him. We used to tell him that it’s not all about going out and working hard, sometimes it’s about just resting. He was starting to understand those things and then everything went better in that coach-player relationship.”
Even though Crvena Zvezda was left without a title in the ABA League and without a EuroLeague playoffs, which were the primary goals, the trophy was not missing. They won the Serbian Cup called Radivoj Korac Cup and that will remain etched in the Bentil memory forever.
“Before the semifinals against Partizan, I was not part of the team. Coach Ivanovic told me that I would not be among the 12 at the start of the tournament and I was okay with that. Then I was the starter. He was trying to tell me that even though we have Facundo Campazzo and Luca Vildoza, I have to be the leader and lead the team. Winning that trophy with him was special. The finals of the ABA League went to five games. In the end we lost, but the feeling remained that we did our best and that we fought until the end.”
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Serbian or Greek clash?
He is one of the few who, as a player, felt the atmosphere in the derbies between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan, but also between the Greek giants.
“I also played for Panathinaikos, so I am familiar with derbies of this kind. I watched TV, in order to get to know the rivalry between Crvena Zvezda and Partizan better. When you go out on the court, that kind of atmosphere makes you do your best, because you feel that you are playing for the fans, for the club and the colors you wear. I enjoyed the fans, I hope they still love me (laughs).”
Those are the most challenging moments. Nothing before or after that counts. All that matters is that day, that game and those (at least) 40 minutes.
“It was difficult, you had to give your best. Partizan outplayed us in the end, but they respected us because we played hard. That rivalry was incredible. I was lucky enough to be part of two of the biggest rivalries in Europe. In both cases, the fans are on a higher level, they live and die for those moments.
When such games are played, no one cares about the standings. The difference is that the Serbian fans are a little crazier. In Greece, there are nets around the court. Whenever we played against Partizan, instead of a two-hour game, everything lasted four hours, because the referees had to leave, the duel had to be stopped… It was something different,” Bentil was clear.
Ben Bentil about what he would change
When you look at the numbers, the season in the red and white jersey was solid. An average of 8.4 points, with 37.5 percent three-point shooting and two trophies won is a summary of his stay in Belgrade.
“I don’t believe that I would change anything. As a team, maybe we would change how we approach games, to get into them faster, because we were like a second-half team. If we had played at least half as well in the first half as we did in the second, we would have won a lot of games. We often lost, because in the first half we didn’t play the way we should. I wouldn’t change a thing. Everyone did what they were supposed to do, and they did a great job.”
Despite not being part of Crvena Zvezda for more than a year, certain contacts have not faded. Moreover, they are intense.
“I am very close to Nemanja Nedovic, who was one of the reasons why I came to Crvena Zvezda. I played with him in Panathinaikos, so he called me to be part of the same team once more. We talk a lot, I am also in contact with Branko Lazic. They’re all good guys. I also talk a lot with Facundo Campazzo and Luca Vildoza and when I get the chance I watch the EuroLeague.”
“Crvena Zvezda? If they want me…”
![](https://basketballsphere.com/en/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/bentil-ben-1.jpg)
Bentil has built his career on the ability to operate both from the outside and be a shooting threat, as well as from the inside, in the paint. There are not many such big men, which was his great advantage, recognized at the top European level. It is certain that they also noticed it in Crvena Zvezda, when he wore that jersey for the first time. Will there be another episode in Belgrade?
“I don’t know, maybe there were rumors that I wanted to come back. We’ll see. I love Crvena Zvezda, the fans are unreal. If the club wanted me to come back, that’s something I would definitely consider. I know what kind of players they have, I already know everything.”
Another team he talks about in a very positive tone is Panathinaikos. For two years, he was part of the seven-time European champions, so he especially saw off their return to the very top.
“It is unbelievable. Athens is my second home, I have a lot of love for Panathinaikos and I was very excited about the title. I have a lot of close friends there, like Vildoza, Jerian Grant, Ioannis Papapetrou, Dinos Mitoglou… I’m happy that they finally got there. I was there when they were in transition. I watched the final, I screamed and I was very excited. I love those guys and that club.”
“I miss Europe a lot”
In addition to the top teams of European basketball, Ben Bentil had the opportunity to try out in the NBA at the beginning of his career. That period with the Dallas Mavericks influenced his path.
“It was unreal. Dirk Nowitzki is a great character, he was a great mentor. I had fun, the organization was amazing, I learned a lot. All of that taught me how to be a professional, which helped me in Europe. It was a great experience.”
In Japan, it is undoubtedly interesting and challenging, but his basketball heart is closer to other, well-known destination.
“We will see what is on the table. I miss Europe a lot, I’m not going to lie. It’s something I’ll definitely look into. We’ll see what kind of offers I get. It’s still too early for that,” Ben Bentil concluded in an interview with Basketball Sphere.