With three months left before the draft NBA scouts are beginning to find some real flaws in LSU star Ben Simmons. Is there really much wrong with him?
The Ben Simmons story is one of more downs than ups in terms of what has happened lately.
According to ESPN.com, Simmons has officially declared for the 2016 NBA draft and has signed with Klutch Sports, the same agency that represents LeBron James.
On top of that, Simmons also withdrew from all classes at LSU and is fully focused on preparing for the draft. Whether he will fully participate in the combine or just wait for individual workouts isn’t known at this time, but he’s put everything into basketball and looks to make an impact at the next level.
There’s been a lot of backlash that’s come his way both from fans of the LSU program and the media. Some of it has had to do with his play for the team and not living up to championship expectations. Others have had problems with how he’s handled school and his poor performance in the classroom.
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Whether you like or hate Simmons he’s one of the draft’s most interesting prospects to say the least.
At 6-foot-10 and 225 pounds, Simmons is an athletic freak. He’s at his best handling the ball in transition and working as a playmaker both for himself and for others.
When he showed his ability to push the ball off the break and create highlights, he looked like a superstar in college and justified why virtually everyone had him first on their draft big boards at the start of the season.
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But Simmons didn’t always see sole possession of the ball at LSU, as head coach Johnny Jones played him a lot out of the post, given the fact that the team never had a true center.
More often than not Simmons stood down low and posted his man up waiting for the ball. When that happened, very rarely did Simmons get the ball on multiple consecutive possessions. LSU ran a lot of their offense through guards Keith Hornsby and Tim Quarterman, and relied on freshman Antonio Blakeney to connect on a lot of his three-point attempts.
Little pick-and-roll basketball and perimeter isolations were run for Simmons, two types of plays that he excels at. One of the main complaints this season was that Simmons never showed off any kind of mid-range or three-point jump shot, but was that all his fault?
It’s true that he only connected on one three-point shot, but he only attempted three total all season. Per Hoop-Math.com, Simmons registered 173 shots that were considered jump shots inside the arc, but many of those were floaters and runners off the dribble and not really set shots.
The majority of his shots came at the rim, which makes sense given where he was in the flow of the offense.
So how could Simmons showcase any kind of jumper when he was playing as the team’s scoring threat down low?
Did any of this play a part in Simmons’ supposed lack of intensity late in games and on defense? We don’t know for sure, but I have a feeling that’s a huge part of any of his poor showings with his attitude.
How would you like to play on a team where you know you can make an impact at a high level but are ultimately told you’re going to do something different and lose out on what you can truly bring to the table?
That’s exactly what happened to Simmons. Now I’m not trying to cover up for all his flaws because if you’re going No. 1 in the draft you must have the skill to lead your team into the NCAA tournament. But how can we pin all the blame on him when he averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game?
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Like it or not, Simmons put up some rare numbers in college speaking to his versatility and athletic ability. His court vision is at an insane point for his age, and he understands how to run an offense and get everyone else involved all while standing at the height of a power forward and some centers.
He’s as rare of a player as they come and shouldn’t have too much held against him in the pre-draft process. Will he have to endure the effort and lack of leadership questions from scouts and front office personnel?
Absolutely, and rightfully so. I want to hear what Simmons has to say about those two things specifically, but it will also interest me what he talks about when his role in the offense is brought up. Is he really that passive of a player, or did the coach have the ultimate say on what he did on the floor?
With all of these questions, Duke’s Brandon Ingram has shot up draft boards to the point where some are saying he’s good for the first overall pick in the draft. Respected draft profiler Jonathan Givony spoke to why Simmons isn’t the best player in the class and why someone like Ingram could ultimately have more NBA upside.
Ingram doesn’t have the same kinds of questions attached to him. He did nothing but score 17.1 points per game on a .442/.415/.683 slash line and lead Duke deep into the tournament. At 6-foot-9 Ingram is as good of a scorer as they come, and at a time where wings higher than ever he’s gonna get serious looks from whoever has the first pick come June.
Is Ingram worthy of being taken ahead of Simmons in the draft? I think it depends on what teams are picking where. Both can fit in a number of systems, but if Simmons truly doesn’t have a jump shot yet then his fit is a little trickier given the premium put on outside shooting in today’s NBA.
Regardless both have the talent of franchise players and deserve top selections in the upcoming draft. But in terms of what’s wrong with Simmons, what’s really wrong with him?
Don’t put too much stock into what happened at LSU. Let’s sit patiently and watch what happens during workouts and interviews in the coming months.
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A lot of things can change before the draft, and Simmons could very well right the ship and shift a lot of people back on his bandwagon.