Philadelphia 76ers Drafting Ben Simmons Brings Both Questions And Answers

Ben Simmons seems to have it all. Virtually any team with a chance at the NBA draft lottery is in love with the young man. But with the Philadelphia 76ers drafting Ben Simmons should they get the first pick in the NBA lottery, which position will they be filling?

Point guard. Shooting guard. Small forward. Power forward. Yes, even Center. Ben Simmons is the swiss army knife of basketball prospects. Why? He has the body of a front court player. 6’10” and a huge wing span. While his body is not built for the rock’em sock’em robots boards banging, he would certainly give Nerlens Noel a run for his money as a rim protector. As a power forward, he becomes a very good to elite stretch four, able to threaten deep but vesatile enough to dive down and penetrate for a layup or even to halt and pop for a mid range jumper. As a wing, he would be able to bring his entire arsenal of shooting, drawing defenders away from the post game. As a point guard, he would use his superior basketball IQ to set up the chess board, drive to the basket and flip the ball for an easy alley oop or an easy three.

The problem is not whether he deserves being selected with the first pick of the NBA draft, but where to play him after you select him.

You see, the Melbourne born Australian turned Louisianna State University Tiger stands 6’10”, the size of a center;  weighs 240 pounds, the weight of a power forward; and has the shooting accuracy and arsenal of a small forward at 56.3%; he has the versatility and burst of a shooting guard, able to penetrate or shoot at a distance, and his basketball knowledge and his ability to pass the ball to anyone anywhere on the open court is the skill of only the best point guards in the NBA.

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Where Simmons really shines is in transition. He’s an excellent rebounder who doesn’t hesitate to push the ball as soon as he controls it. His combination of speed and ball handling immediately puts the opposing defense on its heels. He’s that good at everything, that he is tough to define in terms of one position.

The knock on Simmons at this point is that he’s not a pure basketball position type of player.  If you select any position, there are players who are more “pure”, more traditionally gifted in the type of basketball plays made at that position. At the Sixer Sense, we’ve looked at that all too important first pick of the 2016 NBA draft.  If the Sixers sit there, do they take Ben Simmons, or go a different direction by drafting Brandon Ingram?  It’s unclear how the Sixers would optimize Ben Simmons physical skillset, and it’s simpler to envision how the team will use a Mark Ingram.    That’s why some fans believe the Sixers should not draft Simmons with the first pick. Even sports analysts are getting some of that action.  

Right now, the Philadelphia 76ers need to load the team with talent, with players whose skill sets exceed their peers and whose work ethic will remain entrenched for years to come.  We know that despite the excellence of play in college, a player does not always make an immediate impact in the NBA.   In Los Angeles, Lakers coach Byron Scott has already benched a player drafted second in the 2015 NBA draft, D’Angelo Russell.  In the weeks leading up to the draft, many had high hopes that Russell’s name would be announced by the Philadelphia 76ers who were picking third in that draft.

So if Russell could fail, why believe Simmons would not?

Simply stated, he’s too good at too many things.  Read this excerpt from www.nbdraftroom.com

"Australian born forward with an exceptional skill level and elite level upside. The best passer to come along since LeBron. A very quick, athletic and nibble forward with a versatile offensive game. His best position is point guard and he draws and kicks as well as any player I’ve ever seen. Although he’s not an outside threat, he can score the ball in a variety of ways and has a very good touch around the basket. Has quickness in the open court and changes ends in an instant.Plays with maturity, good decision making and intensity. A high character guy with a will to win. Physically he’s head and shoulders above the competition and his basketball IQ is off the charts. – NBA Draft Room"

The challenge of drafting a player of Ben Simmons caliber is not IF he can play in the NBA, but at which position? Right now the Philadelphia 76ers have a rapidly filling front court and are looking at a back court bolster to set the team aright. Not many project Simmons to a spot in the back court. You see, success in the back court usually doesn’t happen for anyone at 6’10” in height. The last player to make a major impact with that type of size was LA Laker Magic Johnson.

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But when you draft at the top of the NBA for several years, you cannot allow any second guessing to cloud your judgement.  If you believe that there is an athlete who is elite in his skill-set, you rush to bring him onto your team.  Don’t fight the battle of “where would we play him?” just yet.  He is a competitor. He knows basketball, and therefore will find his way to make the team better by playing well and by elevating the play of players around him.  That’s part of the competitor in him.

When the Philadelphia 76ers seek to add to this team, they will not be timid.  With the return of Joel Embiid to health, and the arrival of European shooter Dario Saric anticipated, the team will have new capabilities, and a new look.  One of the most undervalued aspects of any prospect in a draft is versatility.  Ben Simmons has it.   Simple as that.  Philadelphia 76ers drafting Ben Simmons is not the question.  How will they use him is.