Ben Simmons next in long line of recent Australian Basketball Prodigies?

No way this guy is left handed lol. Either he is a right hand dominant basketball player or somebody bet him he wouldn't shoot every shot right handed that game.

 

I hope he stays another year at LSU just in case Dwight leaves the Rockets this summer and we go full tank mode next season lol but honestly i do wish all players stayed minimum 2 years in college or pro overseas. 20 or 21 year old limit would be amazing for the NBA.

 

I just got back from the UH vs LSU game. It was a pretty quiet game for Simmons. The surprising thing to me was that he doesn't really initiate the offense on the half court. In fact, he was generally passive in the half court. Most possessions he was the last guy down the court and he went straight to the post and rarely touched the ball.

Simmons did get 14 rebounds but the majority of them were due to him being the guy playing in the middle of the zone ( i,e. Uncontested). He led a couple of fastbreaks and looked much better in transition.

Simmons shot was off tonight but I was still surprised that he never tried to take over the game. I realize that a zone can slow down most anyone on some nights but if you didn't know who he was you would never have guessed that he was the best player in the nation. Today, Simmons wasn't even the best player on his own team.

The kid is obviously talented but the LeBron comparisons are a huge exaggeration.

 

It's one game.

 

Understood, that's why I said that he had a quite night, not that he wasn't any good. He was much more of a wing guy that is a good passer rather than a primary ballhandler. UH didn't double him and he still couldn't toke advantage of that, that was surprising. Tonight, without Hornsby, LSU would have been blown out... he was on fire.

 

Simmons is a true freshman. It isn't that surprising he's not taking over yet. Give it a little while. Sometimes it takes about half a season for everything to kick in.

 

i came away unimpressed today seeing him in person.

 

Understood that he's a true freshman but he's being regarded as the best player in the nation. You expect the best player in the nation to effect the game every night. Neither of these are elite teams and Simmons wasn't even one of the best 3 players on the floor tonight... that's disappointing.

Mostly I was disappointed because I was expecting so much more. The kid's definitely a good passer but he couldn't/didn't do anything off the dribble in the half court.

 

When was the last time the consensus #1 pick didn't play in the NCAA tournament (not including the international #1 picks)?

 

Wiggins looked passive at KU. But he has learned to play more aggressive.

 

he should have posted up more but it was a tough game to get into flow.

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You basically answered your own question.

LeBron actually didn't even dominate some high school games. I was at Clear Lake high school once LeBron played for AAU and he was constantly defended well by a player on an opposing team. He may have had 10-15 points on 10-12 shots and didn't dominate offensively or defensively.

 

What question did I ask?

 

I haven't heard anyone call him the best player in the nation, yet. He's the most talented with the highest upside. But Simmons definitely isn't on track to win the Naismith award. KD was the last true freshman to do that.

I've watched LSU off and on this year and there is something dysfunctional about their team. Can't put my finger on it. Maybe Simmons is trying to make sure it's a team game. Derrick Rose did this most of his year at Memphis. Eventually he realized he was always the best player on the floor and his taking over games was their best chance to win. Maybe Simmons does the same. Maybe not. My main concern about Simmons is his motor.

 

He's no tmac.

 

Ben Simmons is the consensus top pick in 2016 draft, but he is far from a perfect prospect. For once he is passive and he has no jumpsuit what so ever. No confident on taking a jumper right now. Now if he has a jumper you would be looking at a true prodigy.

 

He's got PG skills, but he looks to be an average athlete at best.

 

There is not a single point in that last highlight video he would able to convert in college ball nevermind the NBA.

Not saying his ceiling isn't extremely high, but he is not close to even being a rookie of the year candidate IMO. Still a very long term project at this point.

 

Ladies + gents, introducing your R.O.Y. for 2017, Magic Johnson II aka Benjamin Simmons

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