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NBA: Top 10 Candidates For Rookie Of The Year Award In 2016-17

By Gerald Bourguet

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver holds a basketball while posing for a photo with draft prospects from left Buddy Hield (Oklahoma) , Ben Simmons (LSU), Brandon Ingram (Duke) and Kris Dunn (Providence) before the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver holds a basketball while posing for a photo with draft prospects from left Buddy Hield (Oklahoma) , Ben Simmons (LSU), Brandon Ingram (Duke) and Kris Dunn (Providence) before the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons (25) during media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Ben Simmons Update

There are quite a few promising rookies to watch this season, but this wasn’t complicated at the start. Ben Simmons was the hands down favorite for the 2016-17 Rookie of the Year Award…until he rolled his ankle in practice and suffered an acute Jones fracture in his right foot.

The injury required surgery, and though there is no timetable for his return, rumors are already circulating that Simmons’ agent, Rich Paul, does not want his client to play at all in 2016-17. Either way, Simmons’ foot injury obviously tanks his Rookie of the Year stock.

In his lone season at LSU, the 19-year-old No. 1 overall pick was used improperly and surrounded with lackluster talent…but still averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game on 56 percent shooting. In six Summer League games, he put up 10.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in the same point forward role he’ll (eventually) have with the Sixers.

Simmons was Vegas’ overwhelming favorite to win the award, not only because of his exemplary court vision and athleticism, but because he was supposed to be taking on a more prominent role than any other rookie. Remember, this is the kid that diehard Philly fans are depending upon to save the franchise.

But now that he’s injured, the Sixers are quite possibly looking at their third straight lottery selection missing his entire rookie season. Even if he somehow returned halfway through the season and played stellar basketball, that still wouldn’t be enough to earn him this award.

At this point, it seems like the only way Ben Simmons will win a Rookie of the Year Award is if it’s in 2017-18.