Philadelphia 76ers: Ben Simmons ranked as top-4 point guard in NBA

The Philadelphia 76ers’ point guard received high praise from the Bleacher Report crew.

Trying to fit Ben Simmons into a singular positional archetype is a fruitless and futile effort. He’s much more than a “point guard,” and he’s by no means a “power forward.” He’s a basketball player — increasingly common terminology in a league shifting away from traditional positions.

Even so, every night on the scorecard, Simmons is listed as the Philadelphia 76ers‘ point guard. He’s one of the best playmakers in the NBA, and he generates more assists than anyone else his size. And, when you compare him to the league’s other point guards, he tends to rank fairly high.

Bleacher Report took on the admirable challenge of ranking the NBA’s top-15 point guards. While there’s undoubtedly some debates to be had — no list of this variety is definitive — Andy Bailey and Dan Favale, who wrote the article, are as knowledgable as they come.

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Simmons came in at No. 4 on their list — trailing only Luka Doncic, Damian Lillard, and Chris Paul (1-2-3, in that order). That places him higher than Kyrie Irving, Kyle Lowry, and Trae Young, among others. Impressive company for a 23-year-old who can’t shoot.

"“Simmons has the speed and size (6’10”) to thrive amid his own shortcomings. He’s still in the 93rd percentile of finishing around the rim, and defenses remain inclined to collapse around him when he’s going downhill.It is within this chaos that Simmons’ passing IQ shines. He is a drive-and-kick whiz and has the floor awareness to hit trailing shooters and sling dimes to the corners. No one has assisted on more three-pointers than him, according to PBP Stats.”"

Bailey and Favale make sure to emphasize Simmons’ status as a “superstar.” Despite his complete unwillingness to shoot, he has earned that prestigious label. Simmons is like the O-Zone layer — there’s a giant, very problematic hole, but it provides so much value elsewhere that nothing could survive its absence. Remove Simmons from the Sixers, and the entire ecosystem collapses.

Simmons is one of the most versatile defenders in recent memory. He generates more 3-point looks than anyone in basketball, and he’s wildly efficient around the rim. There are very few holes in his game besides the jump shot, and at 6-foot-10, he’s one of the best, most singularly gifted athletes on the planet.

Both a freight train and a vintage John Wall replicant, Simmons can overpower smaller defenders and then proceed to torch them in transition. He’s one of the league’s fastest end-to-end players, and he mixes that devilish speed with unmatched instincts as a passer.

No one in basketball shares Simmons’ unique physical profile. Some players come close — LeBron James, for instance — and others may exceed his physical gifts elsewhere — Giannis Antetokounmpo — but there is no one else who mixes size, speed, and basketball I.Q. the way Simmons does.

He deserves this spot on B/R’s reports list. He’s not the best in the league — Doncic has more than earned the No. 1 spot — but Simmons is certainly at home among the elite playmakers in basketball.

All too often, we’ve seen Simmons snubbed from praise because of his jump shot. This is a rare step in the right direction when it comes to giving Simmons the credit he deserves.