Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons, F, Philadelphia 76ers

Height/Weight: 6-foot-10, 239 pounds

From: LSU

Age: 19

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Ben Simmons with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft with the hope that the Australian-born forward can serve as the linchpin of the team’s long-term rebuilding process. The team had deliberated between Simmons and Brandon Ingram for the top selection, ultimately determining that Simmons’ uncommon combination of size, athleticism and play-making abilities was too much to pass up. Simmons joins a Sixers frontcourt that already includes former lottery picks Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel and Dario Saric, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the team made a trade before the season to help clear up the logjam.

Widely viewed as the top high school recruit in the Class of 2015, Simmons was considered the odds-on favorite to be selected first overall in the draft before he even played a college game. During his brief time at LSU, Simmons certainly justified the hype, as he was a nearly unstoppable force in transition and showed an uncanny ability to get to the foul line. He finished his freshman season with averages of 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, capturing first-team All-SEC honors in the process.

Despite those impressive achievements, the 19-year-old phenom wasn’t without his faults. In the half court, Simmons’ unreliable jumper tended to limit his overall effectiveness, and on the defensive end, he was frequently disengaged. That latter characteristic proved particularly problematic against better competition, and Simmons ended up drawing a good deal of criticism when his Tigers failed to reach the NCAA Tournament. It’s fair to wonder if Simmons’ intensity and focus may continue to suffer on a Sixers squad that’s still far away from contending, but the franchise is betting that the forward’s unmatched physical gifts will override any lack of consistent effort.

Even with the Sixers’ existing depth on the interior, Simmons shouldn’t have too much difficulty winning a starting job, or at the very least, a prominent role, in coach Brett Brown’s rotation. While power forward looks to be Simmons’ more natural position, his ball-handling skills and quickness should also result in him seeing some time at small forward when Brown decides to run oversized lineups. With the opportunity to play right away to go along with a one-of-a-kind skill set, Simmons will enter the coming season as a leading candidate for the Rookie of the Year award.

Prospect Analysis

Strengths
High basketball IQ
Unselfish playmaker/facilitator
Good handle
Excellent rebounder
Good in transition as scorer or passer

Weaknesses
Has to develop a consistent face-up game in the midrange
Needs to cut down on turnovers

NBA projection: Draft analysts have long considered Simmons to be the No. 1 overall pick.

2015-16 Season
Ben Simmons was chosen the national freshman of the year by the USBWA, The Sporting News and USA Today, was the Southeastern Conference freshman of the year, and also made the All-SEC first team. He was a first-team All-America pick by the USBWA and second team by ESPN, Sports Illustrated and The Sporting News. Simmons left LSU was a trophy room full of individual honors, but the Tigers struggled early in the season and again in March, failing to earn a bid to the NCAA tournament or even the NIT. Some critics placed a lot of the blame for that on Simmons, but unfairly so. He performed as most recruiting analysts expected he would, ranking in the top five in the SEC in several statistical categories, including scoring, rebounding and assists.