NBA Rumors: Ben Simmons Might Get $100 Million Contract As Rookie

NBA rumors have been swirling around Ben Simmons for quite some time now because the majority of basketball analysts believe that he’s going to be a superstar on the next level. The LSU Tigers star is expected to be the first overall selection in the upcoming NBA Draft. Before he plays his first game in the National Basketball Association, Ben Simmons is expected to sign a contract worth $100 million, according to Fox Sports.

Vince Carter was supposed to be the next Michael Jordan. Penny Hardaway was supposed to be the next Magic Johnson. Dirk Nowitzki was the next generation Larry Bird. Comparisons in the NBA get thrown out all the time. The latest and most fascinating one has Ben Simmons becoming the next LeBron James. Simmons rates very well in court vision, aggressiveness, and passing skills, so the comparison isn’t completely off the wall.

The hype behind Ben Simmons is one of the biggest reasons why the major shoe companies are fighting among themselves to see who can get his signature on a contract. Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour are said to be the top candidates to sign the 6’10”, 240-pound forward. The three companies know that it’s going to take a lot of money to make a deal happen, as the $100 million figure has been thrown out into the mix.

Signing a $100 million shoe endorsement deal would mean that Ben Simmons has eclipsed LeBron James in at least one category. When the Akron native came straight out of high in school in 2003, he signed a deal for $90 million. Though they will publicly never admit it, signing a bigger shoe contract than James means that there’s going to be a whole lot of extra pressure on Simmons to succeed in the NBA.

Under Armour is said to be aggressively pursuing a deal with Ben Simmons. The company has been coming up fast in the industry, and they want to keep that momentum going. They recently signed Stephen Curry, who is arguably the best player in the NBA nowadays. There’s already a ton of hype behind Curry, and there will be even more if the Golden State Warriors can get past the San Antonio Spurs and win another NBA Championship.

Since Ben Simmons is expected to be the top selection in the upcoming NBA Draft, he and his team will be looking very closely at Draft Lottery. The team that he ends up playing for could very much determine just how valuable he is to whatever shoe company signs him. If he goes to the Philadelphia 76ers, then the hype isn’t going to be as strong. However, if Simmons ends up as the heir apparent to Kobe Bryant on the Los Angeles Lakers, then his popularity shoots through the roof.

Success in the NBA will also increase the value of Ben Simmons to Under Armour or whichever company signs him. The Los Angeles Lakers currently have a nice young trio in D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle. Adding Simmons to the mix could make the Lakers the most hyped team in the NBA. If that were the case, then Simmons can sell a whole lot more merchandise than he normally would.

The hope is that the $100 million contract doesn’t affect Ben Simmons too much. As talented as he already is, there’s still a lot of work left to do if he ever wants to become an All-Star in the NBA. Some feel a sense of entitlement whenever they are paid, so they don’t bother ever improving their game. Simmons needs to channel Kobe Bryant and LeBron James when it comes to motivation.

[Featured Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]