If Ben Simmons wasn’t already a household name to basketball fans, that changed earlier this week when the LSU forward put up a ridiculous 43 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, five steals and three blocked shots in a game against North Florida.
Every few years we hear rumblings about a player that could potentially be the sport’s next superstar. Right now, that prospect is Simmons.
With that in mind, here’s what fans need to know about the next potential NBA sensation.
Age: 19
Position: Small/Power Forward
Height: 6-foot-9
Weight: 240 pounds
Wingspan: 7’0.25
Vertical: 41.5”
Born: Melbourne, Australia
School: Louisiana State University
He’s the projected No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft…
While Kentucky teammates Skal Labissiere and Jamal Murray, plus Duke’s Brandon Ingram are getting plenty of attention, Simmons being the top pick next summer is basically a foregone conclusion.
Simmons would be the second Australian player taken first overall in the draft. Andrew Bogut was the top pick in 2005. He’d also become just the second LSU player to go No. 1, the first since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992.
Without looking at any game film, you can see Simmons is a special talent just by taking a quick scan of his stats from this season. Through the first seven games of the year, he’s averaging 19.9 points, 14.9 rebounds, six assists, 2.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.
His measurables are off the charts…
In October, at LSU’s combine, Simmons proved his athleticism is equally impressive to his size. His vertical was 41.5 inches, a massive number for someone his size. This makes him appear like a man among boys near the glass. He was clocked at 2.9 seconds in the 3/4 sprint (running three quarters the length of the court as fast as you can), which is another ridiculous number for a person his size. This type of speed lends itself well to the transition game. Unlike a lot of players his height, Simmons also possesses excellent agility, which translates to him being a solid defender as well.
Here’s a scouting report:
He’s a lefty, which bodes well for NBA success…
Simmons is considered an ideal modern-day player from a size and skill perspective, yet he also has certain intangibles that are relatively uncommon, one of which is the fact he shoots left. Similar to southpaws in boxing, lefties in basketball are more difficult to defend for the simple fact that there aren’t as many of them. James Harden and Chris Bosh, both notoriously difficult-to-guard players, are probably the best current examples of lefties having huge success in the NBA.
When it comes to his short game, however, he’s ambidextrous. When he lines up for a jump shot he does so with his left hand, but close to the rim he can burn defenders with either hand. It’s one more advantage Simmons has over his competition that makes him such a coveted asset.
He was high school teammates with D’Angelo Russell…
Despite growing up in Australia, Simmons moved to the United States to finish his high school career. He attended Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla., where he was teammates with Los Angeles Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell, who went second overall in the 2015 NBA Draft.
He comes from a basketball family…
His father, Dave Simmons, played college ball at Oklahoma City University in the 1980s and went on to become a star in Australia’s National Basketball League. He made his mark on the Melbourne Tigers.
Dave Simmons also played a few seasons with the Canberra Cannons where he was teammates with David Patrick. The two became close friends and in 1996 Patrick was named Ben Simmons’ godfather. Patrick is currently an assistant coach at LSU where he’s helping develop the young Simmons.
Ben Simmons’ brother, Liam, is also involved in the game. He coaches in Division II with the Southwest Baptist University in Missouri.
He could do this at age 16…
It was evident early on that Simmons was a special talent. Check out some of his work from the Adidas Nations tournament back in 2012. There were many scouts in attendance at this event and it served as somewhat of a coming out party for Simmons.
He takes pride in his passing ability…
Whether it’s a timely dump-off or stretching the ball up court, Simmons’ vision and passing skills might be his best attribute.
“It’s one thing to be a great passer. It’s another to be completely unselfish,” ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla said last month. “Watching him play with D’Angelo Russell and some other really good players at Montverde, it was obvious that he really didn’t care about scoring points. I contend he could average 25 points a game this year if that was his mindset. I think he has the ability to score a lot of points, but his game is so diverse. He’s more likely to have a triple-double than to get 25, even though both are in reach.”
Heck, he can even pass the ball to himself.
He is drawing comparisons to LeBron James…
Any player projected to be a franchise player and No. 1 overall pick will inevitably be compared to top picks of years past. Because of his size and skill set, Simmons has gotten many comparisons to “Magic” Johnson and LeBron James — the latter of which Simmons has become close with since they met at an All-Star skills academy in 2014.
“I just get a lot of advice from him,” Simmons recently told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. “He’s like a big brother to me. I try to take care of my own stuff. But if I have something I really need help with I definitely talk to him. If I need him, I give him a call.”
