Philadelphia 76ers: 5 reasons Ben Simmons will have better career than Mitchell, Tatum

The Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons beat out Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum for Rookie of the Year. Here are five reasons he will continue to be rated ahead of them.

When the voting for NBA Rookie of the Year was held, there was no doubt who was the best first-year player: Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Despite much whining by Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz that Simmons was not a ‘real rookie’ because he came out of college a year earlier (but due to a broken foot missed the 2016-17 season), it was a landslide.

Simmons had 90 first-place votes to just 11 for Mitchell. Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics was a distant third, garnering just two second-place votes. Coming in fourth was Kyle Kuzma of the Lakers, whom the Sixers passed on in favor of Anzejs Pasecniks in a major bonehead move by Sixers management.

Of course, being named Rookie of the Year does not automatically mean a player will always be the best player in that rookie class for their entire career. The best recent example: 2014 R.O.Y Michael Carter-Williams, who had a big first year for the 76ers. It would be safe to say that fellow 2013 first-round draftees Victor Oladipo, CJ McCollum and Otto Porter are considered better players.

Looking at the only three players who received first or second-place votes, Simmons, Mitchell and Tatum, let’s project who will have the better career.

Here are five reasons Ben Simmons will end up being a better player than Tatum and Mitchell in the long term.