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NBA Draft: Ben Simmons Is Fading As No. 1 Pick

By Nathan Grubel

Dec 2, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Johnny Jones talks to forward Ben Simmons (25) during the second half of a game against the North Florida Ospreys at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU defeated North Florida 119-108. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 2, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers head coach Johnny Jones talks to forward Ben Simmons (25) during the second half of a game against the North Florida Ospreys at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU defeated North Florida 119-108. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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With recent performances for LSU, Ben Simmons’ star is beginning to fade thanks to the play of another top freshman.

The hype surrounding Ben Simmons is arguably more prolific than what Andrew Wiggins had when he was recently at Kansas.

Not only is Simmons currently projected by many to be the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA draft, but there isn’t a player seen by analysts who will end up challenging for that top pick outside of Simmons.

That’s right, Simmons is the overwhelming favorite among the majority as first off the board. In other words, he’s the “crown jewel” of this draft class.

Why is that so? Because his combination of size, ball handling and court vision along with his elite athleticism isn’t seen very often. The last player who showed off a skill set like Simmons’? LeBron James.

Now James is a once-in-a-generation talent, so comparing any young player to him isn’t fair. Simmons, however, has been one player who even LeBron himself hasn’t had a problem with in terms of comparisons.

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Simmons is as unique of a player as you’ll find in college basketball. Standing at 6-foot-10 he’s a versatile forward capable of making plays for himself as well as others both in the halfcourt and in transition.

He’s a selfless player who firmly believes in helping his teammates succeed before himself, a trait that’s been common in James’ game since he was young.

It’s fun to see someone mold their game after LeBron because James is a physical specimen whose combination of talents generally isn’t replicated by anyone else on the planet. The fact that Simmons can do a LeBron impersonation and be as dominant as he is without scoring is a gift for someone his size.

Simmons is a point forward in every sense, but at the end of the day if you’re a top pick in the draft you have to be able to score the basketball. This is where Simmons concerns me a bit as a prospect worthy of overwhelming praise.

At times he’s taken fewer than 10 shots in a game and struggled to shoot well from the field, particularly from the perimeter. In fact, Simmons has no offensive game outside of 10 feet from the basket (32.3 percent on two-point jumpers according to Hoop-Math).

You just don’t see him take jump shots. Any scoring he provides comes from easy shots at the rim, transition buckets and free throws.

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    • He’s been a dominant player inside the paint during his time at LSU, but the NBA is an entirely different game. Do I think he’s going to come into the league and rebound and score inside like he has in college? Absolutely not.

    Simmons isn’t afraid, and it’s not like he isn’t talented enough to succeed at the next level, but he hasn’t gone up against any players of real value down low outside of Marquette’s Henry Ellenson.

    That’s why his lack of a perimeter game is alarming for such a talented wing player. It’s going to continue to cause problems for him because defenses will learn to collapse and play the passing lanes until he begins to knock down jumpers at a respectable rate.

    Those reasons alone cause me to look at some of the other prospects now, and one in particular has stood out to me from day one: Brandon Ingram.

    Ingram is a freshman at Duke with as much potential as anyone else in the field. Also a 6-foot-10 forward Ingram is lankier and less built for the pros now, but he’s still able to put up points in bunches thanks to his athleticism and perimeter shot.

    Scoring from anywhere on the floor isn’t a problem for Ingram (15.7 points per game on a .481/.362/.611 slash line), something that’ll make him seem more valuable to scouts as time goes on. He’s already seen as the second player on most people’s big boards and for good reason. The immediate thought on his comparison is Kevin Durant, but he isn’t that gifted of a scorer and a rebounder inside (at least, not yet).

    Is Simmons more ready for the NBA now than Ingram? Yes.

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    And don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying Simmons isn’t a great player or prospect. But the shooting is alarming for someone who has a skill set that’s glued to the perimeter, especially given that today’s NBA is all about “pace and space” and shooting three-point shots.

    Simmons will eventually be an NBA superstar, so him as the first pick in the draft isn’t a terrible notion by any means.

    All I’m saying is that Ingram is looking awfully good scoring the basketball and being an overall contributor on a team that’s lacking in size and physicality now. If Simmons has any trouble scoring the ball or being as effective against real talent in the SEC, Ingram could potentially rise above him depending on how he fares in ACC play.

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    The notion sounds silly now, but no one thought Jahlil Okafor would be overtaken at the beginning of last season. And he ended up going third overall.