Philadelphia 76ers Select Ben Simmons In NBA Draft

With the first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Ben Simmons, according to ESPN. The 6-foot, 10-inch, 240 pound small forward has the potential to become the 76ers’ next franchise player. Days before the draft, the team informed Simmons that they were going to select him with the first pick. He is the first top pick for the 76ers since Allen Iverson.

Ben Simmons decided to play for the LSU Tigers in college. There were high expectations for him during his freshman year. Simmons was named the SEC’s Preseason Player of the Year. He became the second freshman to earn that award. Simmons showed that he can be a player who can average a double double each game.

Magic Johnson dubbed Ben Simmons the best all round player since LeBron James. Simmons has all the physical tools to be a superstar. He has the size, versatility, and speed. Simmons is an excellent play maker and rebounding forward.

.@BenSimmons25 walks across the stage as the No. 1 selection for @Sixers at the 2016 @NBADraft!https://t.co/b6GLuBxakm

— NBA Draft (@NBADraft) June 24, 2016

Ben Simmons was named the first team All Southeastern Conference and the league’s Freshman of the Year. He led the LSU Tigers in all major statistical categories, except three-point and free throw shooting. Simmons finished the season with 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, two steals, and 0.8 blocks in 34.9 minutes per game. He shot 56 percent from the field.

Many people believe that Ben Simmons is a point guard in a power forward’s body. He has excellent ball handling skills and court vision. Simmons is also very selfless and averages more than five assists per 40 minutes.

The Philadelphia 76ers fans erupted when they heard NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced Ben Simmons name. His arrival is coming at a perfect time for the 76ers. They finished with 10 wins and 72 losses last season.

Brett Brown and Ben Simmons have known each other for awhile now. Brown coached Ben’s father a long time ago. Brown coached the Australian men’s national team and was also the head coach of the Sydney Kings of the Australian National Basketball League.

Ben Simmons will be joining a very crowded front court. The good thing for him is that the other players are all centers. The Philadelphia 76ers currently have Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Jahlil Okafor. There have been talks that Dario Saric will be joining them this summer. Embiid and Saric have yet to play a game in the NBA.

The Philadelphia 76ers were exploring their trade options for Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor. There have been talks of trading one of those guys for a guard. The 76ers were looking to trade one of those guys to the Boston Celtics for the third overall pick, but trade talks died down when the Celtics selected Jaylen Brown.

Even though the Philadelphia 76ers couldn’t acquire the third pick, that doesn’t mean they won’t trade Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel. There were talks earlier in the week that the 76ers received an offer from the Houston Rockets. The Rockets were reportedly offering Patrick Beverley and Trevor Ariza for Noel.

The Philadelphia 76ers’ biggest need is at the guard positions. They will be looking to add some help in free agency this summer. There are some big name guards who can help the 76ers win some more games. They will have plenty of money to spend on free agents.

Ben Simmons was selected with the first overall pick. There will be some high expectations for him in his rookie season. Philadelphia 76ers general manager Bryan Colangelo believes that Simmons will make an impact for the team. He has all the potential to be next LeBron James-type player.

[Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images]