David Bentley has never let dwarfism define his limits. Instead, the 2012 Anderson University Physical Education graduate has turned his unique journey into a platform for building relationships that transform young athletes’ lives.
“Growing up, my parents always instilled in me that I could do anything with God on my side,” Bentley said. “God made me unique for a reason. I might look a little different or take a little longer to run, but I was always competitive.”
That competitive spirit led Bentley to basketball. Growing up in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley and later Greer, South Carolina, he found his place on the court through the camaraderie of team sports. When his peers physically outgrew him, Bentley pivoted to coaching and managing.
Bentley’s path to Anderson University began with an unexpected encounter while he was a student at Greer High School. Then-AU head coach Jason Taylor arrived to recruit star players Chandler Hash and another athlete. Greer Boys Basketball Coach Jeff Neely was unable to meet with Taylor, so he asked Bentley, the team manager, to run drills with the prospects so they could see them in action.
“Coach Taylor came back and told Coach Neely, ‘I really like your players, but I want your manager. What’s he got going on?'” Bentley recalled.
Taylor, who is currently associate head basketball coach at Morehead State University, recalls observing Bentley’s “infectious energy” that people tended to gravitate toward.
Though Bentley had his sights set on Division I programs, Anderson’s scholarship opportunities and proximity to home made practical sense. The relationships he built on campus made it life-changing.
Hash initially played basketball at USC Upstate, but credits Bentley’s encouragement as part of what made him seek a transfer to Anderson. He admires Bentley’s commitment to Christ and a resilience born out of the struggles he’s faced. And through it all, Hash is inspired by Bentley’s consistency in encouraging others.
“He’s a guy that anyone can be around, anyone can have a conversation with. He’s going to treat people the same no matter who they are,” Hash said.
As a Physical Education major, Bentley became a bridge-builder. He forged partnerships between campus safety and athletics, breaking down barriers that benefited the entire AU community.
“Being a little person, Anderson’s campus is straight uphill from the dorms to the cafeteria,” Bentley said. “The officers would pick me up on golf carts. We broke down those walls.”
Bentley and a campus safety officer working there at the time transformed what the relationship between athletics and security looked like; What began as mutual avoidance became genuine partnership.
A few years after graduating from Anderson University, Bentley’s physical difficulties—already a challenge—were getting worse.
“I couldn’t walk, and I was in a lot of pain,” Bentley said. “The pressure was cutting off communication to my legs.”
Bentley relied on a wheelchair and holding onto walls to move. He went to see an orthopedist, who quickly identified a neurological issue. He ordered an MRI, which revealed Bentley’s spinal canal had narrowed to a pinpoint. The diagnosis was spinal stenosis, a common complication of dwarfism where his spinal cord narrowed, cutting off nerve communication to his legs.
Bentley underwent surgery in 2016, which relieved the pressure and eliminated the pain. While Bentley remains dependent on his wheelchair, the experience deepened his faith and empathy.
“I haven’t been in pain since my surgery,” Bentley said. “Whether I’m able to walk again, that’s up to the Lord.”
Bentley returned to coaching with renewed purpose. In 2018, he joined Upward Stars, where he coaches, runs events, and recruits talent.
During his time at Anderson, Coach Taylor gave Bentley a nickname that still defines him: “The Glue.”
Taylor commented, “I nicknamed him ‘the glue’ simply because he literally had his hands on everything in our program. He was best friends with our players… Also, he did an incredible job navigating that world of being a full-tme student assistant manager, friend of the team—and had the integrity to do those things. He kept the trust of all the players and kept the trust of all the coaches—that’s fairly rare.”
Anderson University First Lady Diane Whitaker remembers going to games and observing Bentley on the bench and how set the tone for the action on the court.
“He always had a clipboard in hand and he would start beating that clipboard,” Whitaker said. “I can remember looking down and going, ‘okay, things are about to get heated because he’s out of his seat, clapping on that clipboard and cheering those guys on.’ When David got cranked up, it was ‘go time.’ I loved seeing that enthusiasm. He always had a heart for the game and a heart for his teammates.”
David Bentley and the Trojans Men’s Basketball Team. Bentley is on the first row, third from left.
Anderson University Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management Dr. William Monts has fond memories of coaching with Bentley and, like Taylor, agrees with Bentley’s being “the glue” because of his special gift of bonding coaches and players.
“I am absolutely a better person for knowing David,” Dr. Monts said. “He has brought joy to my life through our many conversations about basketball and life. He is an inspiration to many people simply due to his positive and optimistic outlook on life and his faith in Jesus Christ.”
Key to Bentley’s coaching has been maintaining and cultivating caring relationships. He measures success not by wins and losses, but by “living trophies”—former players who become educated, employed, and devoted husbands and fathers.
Jason Rutland, who was coaching Anderson’s baseball team while Bentley was in college, saw how he befriended members of his team. Rutland, who himself uses a wheelchair for mobility, formed a bond with Bentley at Anderson and beyond when he was facing increasing physical challenges himself.
“He’s a wonderful guy. He’s incredibly driven,” said Rutland, who currently serves as associate vice president for parent and family engagement, stewardship and major gifts at Anderson University. “He has a lot of respect of all those guys—Chandler Hash and Myson Jones and all those guys on that team… When you’re in college trying to figure out who you are and how you fit in… He’s really come into his own just knowing who God made him, what’s that purpose—he’s fully embraced that.”
“If they know you care about them and have their best interests, they’ll go through a wall for you,” Bentley said. “The greatest sense of accomplishment is seeing them go on to college, get an education, and become husbands and fathers. One of the highest accompliments you can receive is a parent telling you they trust their child with you.”
Mrs. Whitaker continued, “From day one, David was all in, and I really appreciate people that that recognize talent, and we don’t all have to look the same or have the same gifts to be really valuable.”
Bentley continues to maintain relationships with former players, texting birthday wishes and celebrating their milestones. Recently, he organized a reunion (pictured above) at an Anderson University basketball game, bringing former players back to campus. He hopes there will be more such reunions.
Bentley’s ambitions remain high. He dreams of coaching at the Division I or NBA level, driven by the same competitive fire that fueled him as a child.
“If you’re not growing, you’re not going,” Bentley said. “The future is in God’s hands, but I want to see how much success we can achieve at the highest level possible.”
For the Anderson University community, Bentley exemplifies servant leadership and the University’s pillar of Great Purpose. He proves that while the road may be uphill, the right relationships—and a little bit of “glue”—make the journey worthwhile.