“The best way to characterize him is just as a basketball player”.
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The 19 year old National Basketball Association wizard did excellent in the previous season.
“It’s kind of unusual how it’s happened like this”, Simmons said. “I’ve been wanting to do that since I was five, six, seven and I’ve finally accomplished that”, he added. “I have been working so hard to get to this point”.
“It’s a great city and I’m looking forward to getting to Philly”, Simmons said afterwards.
The Kings drafted the freak athlete Marquese Chriss from Washington, only to then trade him to the Suns for the No. 13 pick, No. 28 pick and Bogdan Bogdanovic. “You don’t know when they’re going to come over”. Simmons was long projected to be the top pick.
Simmons went to college this year, where he played with Louisiana State University.
Simmons averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists and posted 23 double-doubles in his lone season at LSU.
Those statistics show his all-round potential, both as an offensive threat and a defensive presence. “I don’t know if he’s the best (player in the draft) or not, but he’s the player I wanted, for sure”.
If there is a weakness in Simmons’ game, it’s that he is not lethal from beyond the arc, merely because he does not put up many shots from downtown.
Since Simmons has been likened to, among other basketball players of some renown, Magic Johnson and LeBron James, the Sixers found themselves in the position to request caution.
Simmons, though, was the prize and the large contingent of Philadelphia fans roared its approval as Silver made the announcement.
Thon Maker was selected tenth overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks. Maker was born South Sudan but was raised in Perth Australia.
The NBA said there were 26 global players selected, surpassing the record of 21 set in 2003. Marks also traded for the 42nd pick and selected Isaiah Whitehead (via Utah Jazz). But don’t question the upside of what Simmons can become. The 18-year-old guard played in 56 games this past year, averaging four points on 46-percent shooting (40-percent three-point field goal percentage) in 11 minutes a game.
With Simmons Friday, the Sixers introduced Timothe Luwawu. Now, he joins a Philadelphia team that finished last overall with a 10-71 record during the NBA’s 2015-2016 spell.
“I feel great for the fans”, owner Josh Harris said. “Told him I look forward to playing him next season”.
His number 25 was later retired by the Tigers. Brett Brown, the head coach of the team remarked “I am so happy to have Ben in my squad”.
Dave’s advice for his son was simple.
That is not to say Ingram is a world-beater all around.
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“He’s just being smart about it, saying the thing he needs to do, which is ‘until that’s all resolved, we’ll take it a day at a time'”. It’d be $5.9 million in 2016-17 and $6.4 million the following season, with two more years of team options.
