PHILADELPHIA – By drafting Ben Simmons, the 76ers knew they were acquiring a prospect with transformative potential. They also feel they’ve landed a high-caliber person as well.In Friday’s press conference at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine that introduced Simmons and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, the 24th pick in the draft, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo called this year’s number one selection a player “with special and unique talents.””He’s established himself as arguably the top pick in the draft,” said Colangelo. “We did our homework, we did all the work that’s necessary to make the right decision, and without question, we feel that Ben Simmons fills a big void on our team.”
As much as the Sixers were convinced that Simmons’ rare combination of skill and size justified him being this year’s top choice, the club’s evaluation of the 6’10” tall, 240 pound point-forward went beyond just his dominance on the basketball court. In the eyes of the organization, Simmons’ intangibles made him that much more appealing.”Very impressive across the board,” Colangelo said of Simmons’ make-up. “You look at him as a basketball player all those years, and then you get a chance to communicate with him, talk to him, have a conversation with him. Very impressive young man, more mature than obviously his years.”Along the journey that has now taken the Melbourne, Australia native from Port Phillip Bay to the birthplace of America, key factors and experiences have combined to define Simmons’ character. For starters, there’s his roundball pedigree. Simmons’ father Dave, a sturdy, sizable man in his own right, played collegiately at Oklahoma City, after growing up in the Bronx. From 1989 through 2001, he strung together a professional career in Australia that produced an All-Star selection and championship title. In the summer of 1996, Dave, now 53, and his wife Julie welcomed Ben.”I grew up in the gym, so it’s what I know,” said the younger Simmons, whose parents and siblings were among the family members and friends that accompanied him to PCOM Friday. “At a young age, I was getting dragged from gym to gym, and I just fell in love with the game.”The practice and training sessions that Simmons had during his youth with his father weren’t easy. “He pushed me around a lot,” remembered the 19-year old Simmons, who wore the number “25” on his jersey at Louisiana State, and will continue to do so with the Sixers, in honor of his father’s uniform that was retired by the Melbourne TIgers.The tone that Dave Simmons set on the court with Ben, however, proved to be a pivotal. He credited his dad for helping “mold me into the player I am today,” and called Dave his role model.”I think the thing is about fairness, and that goes in sport and in life, and just giving an honest effort,” Dave Simmons said Friday, discussing the values he tried to instill in his son. “I think those are the things that you can see when Ben is on the court. It’s about just making right decisions, but the fair decisions and being true to yourself.”The mindset is one that comes hand-in-hand with the way basketball is played in Simmons’ country of birth.”I think basketball I.Q. in Australia is something you need to have,” said Simmons, a past member of Australia’s Under-17 FIBA club. “You learn the fundamentals first before anything. You learn how to play as a team, and that’s what I’m really excited about.””Coming from Australia, it’s a team game,” said Rich Paul, the founder of the Cleveland, Ohio based Klutch Sports Group, which has added Simmons to a client list that also features LeBron James and John Wall. “I think that makes him a great player because he’s a ‘we’ guy, not a ‘me’ guy. LeBron’s not a ‘me’ guy, he’s a ‘we’ guy.” Although Simmons started high school in Australia, he ultimately came to the United States for his sophomore campaign, enrolling at Montverde Academy, located just outside of Orlando, Florida. In his three seasons at the school, Simmons cemented his elite status, with Montverde clinching national championships each year Simmons was on the roster. As a senior, Simmons accounted for 28 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists per game, and was ranked number one in his class. Recently, as more and more of its alumni have gone on to the NBA, Montverde’s profile has risen. Luc Mbah a Moute was a 2005 graduate, Joel Embiid spent one season there, and D’Angelo Russell, like Simmons, was a three-year member of the program. Now teammates with the Sixers, Simmons and Embiid’s Montverde connection set the stage for them to meet via a pick-up game, even though their respective tenures at the institution didn’t overlap.”He has great footwork, and he can score inside,” Simmons said. “I know how to get the ball to the bigger guys down low, so I’m comfortable coming to play for this team.”This past season, in his lone NCAA campaign, Simmons’ individual production and subsequent achievements spoke for themselves. He was the second-leading scorer among all first-year high-major conference players (19.2 ppg), and topped his fellow Division I rookies in rebounding (11.8 rpg). Simmons, who also averaged 4.8 assists per game, was a First-Team All-American, and racked up three separate national freshman of the year awards.Faced with high expectations, though, collective success alluded Simmons and the Tigers. They finished 19-14, missed out on the NCAA Tournament, and passed on participating in the National Invitation Tournament. The season provided Simmons with a chance to absorb another lesson.”Playing through adversity,” he said. “Nothing goes right all the time. You’ve got to play through certain situations. We did that. I think going into next season, I’ll be prepared for anything.”That includes taking on the stigma and responsibilities associated with becoming a high-profile face of a professional franchise. “I’m excited,” Simmons said Friday. “It’s a blessing. I got a lot of pressure, but I’m kind of used to it.” Those closest to him agree. “He’s been doing this for quite a while,” said Simmons’ dad, Dave. “I guess if he’s not used to it now, he never will be.”Rich Paul, the agent, said, “Ben’s special, he’s a special kid. He understands the workload. He has a great supporting cast. He can play all five positions, he understands the game, he’s coachable being a highly-touted guy. He has all the tools in the toolshed to be great.”In that respect, Simmons’ athletic abilities no doubt stand out the most. But the human qualities he brings to the table shouldn’t be discounted, or overlooked, and make him that much more of a complete package.
