CLEVELAND - The NBA All-Star weekend is the unofficial halfway mark of the NBA season and to say Anthony Bennetts rookie campaign hasnt gone quite as expected so far would be an understatement. Adidas Continental 80 Herr . The 20-year-old rookie from Toronto, the first Canadian ever selected with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft when the Cleveland Cavaliers grabbed him in 2013, has had anything but a storybook beginning to his professional career. While the rest of the NBAs best and brightest spent their weekend in New Orleans for All-Star festivities, Bennett was just the second No. 1 pick to not be selected for the annual Rising Stars game, composed of the leagues best rookie and sophomore players since Washingtons Kwame Brown in 2001. Bennett is patient when asked about his struggles. After starting his professional career 0-for-15 from the floor, hes had to get used to talking about it. "Well, its not the way I planned it to go, I can say that," Bennett said. "Im pretty sure everything will turn around soon. Im working hard and Ive got my teammates with me. The coaching staff has been helping me a lot so Ive just got to keep my head up and go hard." While his start hasnt been ideal, Bennett has faced the music and remained calm amid pressures and criticisms coming from all angles. Speaking in the Cavaliers locker room before a recent game in Cleveland, Bennett was frank about his struggles this season, while also confident that the tide was turning. "Its overwhelming, but Im pretty level headed," Bennett said. "Ive got nice teammates who have been in the league a few years. They can tell me a lot of what theyve been through. Ive been humble, level headed and working every day." The advice from teammates and coaches is the same: keep working. A visit to the Cavaliers practice facility showed he is taking that advice to heart. Long after everyone else has left the floor, Bennett remained. Practising free throws under the watchful eye of an assistant coach, Bennett looked like any other NBA rookie. "Everybody has had their part," Bennett said of the Cavaliers organization. "Helping me with my game, shooting after practice, or pulling me aside and giving me pointers here and there. Everybody has been really helpful." Injuring his shoulder prior to the NBA Draft, Bennetts rookie season was derailed before it began. Missing the Las Vegas Summer League where rookies get their first taste of NBA life, while also being unable to train during the offseason, Bennett came into the Cavaliers training camp with extra weight to accompany the extra pressure that every first overall pick carries with him. Playing sparingly at the beginning of the season, Bennett has worked hard to shed the extra pounds and get into game shape so hes ready to go when his name is called. Last Tuesday night, in a victory against the Sacramento Kings, Bennett posted his best performance to date, recording 19 points and 10 rebounds. He followed up the next night with a two-point, two-rebound performance. Bennetts roller-coaster experience serves as a reminder of the patience necessary when drafting young players each year. With half a season behind him, Bennett is starting to get a feel for what to expect each night he steps onto the floor as a pro. "In college it would be one game, someones a seven-footer, but the next game someone is six-foot-six," Bennett said. "Everyone is pretty much the same size now. Youve got to go hard every time." In addition to staying after practice for extra work, Bennett often returns for a second session. How does the first overall pick deal with the lows that have accompanied his season thus far? With a little help from his hometown friends. "My close friends from back home, theyve been with me from the start, before this [being in the NBA], so they see my ups, they see my downs. They know what Im going through." After a game where he hasnt performed well, or even gotten the chance to get off the bench, they are the ones who help keep Bennett focused on whats in front of him. "Every time I have a bad game or am feeling down, I hit them up and they tell me to keep staying with it," Bennett said. "Theyll come out here and after bad games theyll go with me straight to the gym. Thats something thats really helpful for me and Im thankful for it." As Bennett begins to show flashes of why the Cavaliers wanted him in the first place, he isnt allowing an unexpectedly difficult beginning make him lose sight of the fact that hes living his NBA dream. "Its a huge honour. Its a blessing, you know? I just cant let this opportunity slide for me. I have to work hard every day. This is my job. I have to work hard and be happy about it." Adidas Superstar Dam Rea . CNN and Gazzetta dello Sport reporter Tancredi Palmeri broke the news via Twitter Tuesday afternoon. Italian Football Association President Giancarlo Abete has also resigned, according to Palmeri. Adidas NMD Sverige . -- The Windsor Spitfires were left with just one goaltender Tuesday after having their starter walk out on them midway through Game 3 of their Ontario Hockey League playoff matchup with the London Knights. http://www.nmdsverige.com/nmd-r1-adidas-skor/dam.html . Judging by his performance Saturday night, Cotto has plenty left in the tank. Cotto became the first Puerto Rican fighter to win world championships in four weight divisions, stopping Sergio Martinez in their WBC world middleweight title fight Saturday night.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Chicago Blackhawks have struggled with inconsistency at the start of the new year but they hope to regain some momentum in Sundays home clash against the sliding Minnesota Wild. Chicago is 2-3-0 in January, alternating losses and wins since the start of the month. The rough patch began with a loss in the Winter Classic at Washingtons Nationals Park on New Years Day, and, after Chicago managed to win two out of three, it continued with Fridays 5-2 setback in Edmonton. Of the Blackhawks two wins in January, however, the most recent one came against tonights opponent. Chicago recorded a 4-2 win Thursday in Minnesota despite being outshot by a wide margin. Corey Crawford stole two points for the Blackhawks in St. Paul, making 42 saves to anchor the win. Minnesota outshot Chicago 37-10 after the first period and 44-20 for the game. Chicago received a pair of goals from Bryan Bickell in the third period to pull away. Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane also scored in the win. It was the Blackhawks third straight win over the Wild, as they improved to 2-0 in the five-game season series between the Central Division rivals. Chicago has won two straight and five of the past seven encounters in the Windy City. Chicago was unable to win the other tilt on its recent two-game road trip, as it fell Friday night to the Oilers. The Blackhawks entered the game with 29 more points than lowly Edmonton, but Derek Roy finished with a goal and two assists to help the hosts pull off the surprising 5-2 victory at Rexall Place. The Blackhawks had won the three previous meetings in Edmonton by a 16-3 margin, including a 7-1 rout at Rexall on Nov. 22. Brandon Saad scored both goals for Chicago, while Antti Raanta stopped 17 shots in the loss. We had enough chances tonight. Adidas Deerupt Runner Rea. We didnt give up a ton, said Chicago coach Joel Quenneville. Chicago, which is four points behind Nashville for first place in the Central, begins a four-game homestand tonight. The Hawks are 14-5-1 at United Center this season and wont play the second tilt of the residency until Friday against Winnipeg. The Wild are mired in a four-game losing streak and have posted just two wins over their last 12 games (2-6-4). The rough stretch has Minnesota seven points out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference as it kicks off a three-game road trip with Sundays clash in Chicago. Minnesota lost a 3-1 decision Saturday against the visiting Nashville Predators. The Wild fired 37 shots on net, but Pekka Rinne made the difference for the Preds with 36 saves. Charlie Coyle potted the lone goal for the Wild, while Niklas Backstrom made 24 stops in the loss. When youre losing games the way we are, everything is an issue, said embattled Minnesota head coach Mike Yeo. Its been something different every game. Were just spinning our tires. Minnesotas Zach Parise returned after a two-game absence to deal with the death of his father, former NHLer J.P. Parise, who died Wednesday at the age of 73 from cancer. Another loss tonight would give Minnesota its second five-game skid of the season. The Wild set a season-high losing streak with a 0-2-3 drought from Dec. 16-27. The Wild, who will play seven of their next nine away from home, are 8-11-0 as the road club this season. Crawford will start for Chicago and owns a 6-3-2 record and 2.35 goals against average in 12 career games against the Wild. Backstrom is 6-11-1 with a 2.90 GAA in 19 career games against Chicago, while backup John Curry has never faced the Blackhawks. ' ' '