Ben Simmons was taken by the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft on Thursday night, and is considered by many to be one of the best young prospects in recent history.
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LSU’s Ben Simmons walks up on stage after being selected as the top pick by the Philadelphia 76ers during the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 23, 2016, in NY.
The 19-year-old playmaker from Melbourne is also the third Australian-born player taken first overall, joining Kyrie Irving (2011) and Andrew Bogut (2005).
The last No. 1 pick from LSU was Shaquille O’Neal – who will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with Iverson in September. He also averaged a dozen rebounds and five assists a contest. He averaged 16.4 points, 6.2 assists as a junior last season while becoming the first Friar to register 1,000 points, 500 assists, 400 rebounds and 200 steals.
This is the Sixers’ blessing but also its burden-they get to make the choice, but they can also get criticized for it. Unlike the Lakers, who will take whoever among Simmons and Brandon Ingram the Sixers leave on the board.
Simmons is looking forward to playing for Brown and the Sixers. While the draft recently has been a showcase for teenagers and collegiate one-and-dones, this year’s event featured six four-year college players who heard their names called in the first round.
He has been on National Basketball Association scouts’ radars since moving to the United States in 2013 to attend Florida’s Montverde Academy.
Simmons now will try to help previous lottery picks like Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel turn around a franchise that has lost a total of 199 games over the past three seasons.
“You would like for a guy to step in there, but obviously there are things there that me, personally, I have to protect him with”, said Paul following Simmons’ introductory news conference.
“You are always a little disappointed when you have a goal and want to achieve it but at the end of the day we can’t be disappointed in anything this evening when you look at the roster and see Ben Simmons there now”, Colangelo said.
“I believe Luwawu is subject to playing”, Colangelo said.
There has been comparisons to his game with a young LeBron James. He is the latest young player on a team that will begin life without the retired Kobe Bryant next season. “So I was really surprised to be in here, but I was so happy”. Instead, Boston, which owned the No. 3 pick, left with California forward Jaylen Brown, forward Guerschon Yabusele and center Ante Zizic in the first round. Point guard Tyler Ulis dropped to No. 34 with the Suns.
Simmons was one of two Australians selected in the top 10 on Friday, with 216cm Thon Maker taken by the Milwaukee Bucks with pick No.10.
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The Charlotte Hornets traded the rights to freshman guard Malachi Richardson of Syracuse, the 22nd pick, to Sacramento for guard Marco Belinelli. Asked about what advice he would give his son regarding Brown, he said, “I think Coach Brown is a very passionate coach and loves the sport and is very detailed. They have a lot of great pieces and I’m just coming in ready to work”.
