NBA.com’s annual GM survey had Philadelphia 76ers rookie Ben Simmons finishing second behind Lonzo Ball in Rookie of the Year voting.
Rarely do you see a group of young players as talented as the Philadelphia 76ers‘ core go overlooked as often as they have this offseason. From the rookie survey to general analysis, neither Markelle Fultz nor Ben Simmons have gotten the love that traditionally comes with being the No. 1 pick.
The annual GMs survey at NBA.com continues that trend.
When asked who the favorite was for Rookie of the Year, 62 percent of general managers voted for Lonzo Ball — an overwhelming margin for somebody who a) never reached Simmons’ pre-draft status and b) hasn’t had an entire season to work with an NBA training staff. Simmons’ basketball I.Q. is on the same plane as Ball’s in terms of playmaking, while his physical prowess gives him advantages that Ball simply doesn’t have.
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There’s validity behind voting for Ball. He’ll play a bigger role with less overall talent than Simmons, which could give him the upper hand in a close contest. But Simmons is a better prospect whose game is also centered around improving the play of those around him, so some additional talent doesn’t necessarily hurt.
He’ll also be on a far more competitive team in Philadelphia, which is something voters tend to value — just ask Malcolm Brogdon. Being a primary ball handler who, at 6-foot-10, can put up stats across the board on a potential playoff team should at least allow Simmons to close the gap a bit, if not easily surpass Ball.
Additionally, Fultz didn’t receive a single vote. Dennis Smith Jr., De’Aaron Fox and Jayson Tatum were third, fourth and fifth respectively. To put it lightly, Fultz is a better player than all three.
The survey also asked which players GMs thought would have the best career out of this year’s rookie class. That one was a bit more friendly to Fultz, as he finished second with 21 percent of the votes — just three percentage points behind Josh Jackson.
Simmons, however, wasn’t treated as kindly. He finished with just 14 percent of the votes, which is tied for fourth with the aforementioned Ball. There isn’t any direct correlation between Rookie of the Year and best overall career, but the disparity between the two categories is odd when you consider the fact that it’s the same pool of general managers voting.
That kind of mark is almost criminally low for Simmons. He was largely considered one of the best prospects of this generation coming into the 2016 draft, with athletic tools and court vision that rarely come in unison. He has the potential to be among the best players in the league down the line. That’s not the kind of upside you slot below Jayson Tatum.
This pattern of underrating the Sixers’ core rookies — both of whom were selected first overall — is baffling. It’s understandable to worry that one might balance out the other in Rookie of the Year voting, but their talent as a whole seems undervalued as well.
Next: 25 years of Sixers management (Part 1)
There’s a reason both players were the consensus top picks in their respective classes, and as Ben Simmons said, they’ll soon remember why.