[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 I know his stat line was incredible tonight and I still think he is pretty much the unquestioned first pick at this time but there are definitely areas of the game where he needs improvement. The most glaring weakness is his lack of an outside shot. He could get by without it in high school and probably against most college teams but he won’t get by without it at the next level. Defenses will back off him and it will limit his ability to get to the basket  in the half court which is his biggest strength.

I don’t like his defensive effort at times. He has a habit of conceding layups and not strongly contesting shooters. He doesn’t always fight for position on rebounds and instead just relies on his athleticism. 

Bottom line is he still talented enough to dominate at the college level despite these deficiencies right now but he is far from a finished product at this point and there are still areas of his game that will need a lot of work if he is going to be a superstar at the next level.

 

 

[YungmUNyParticipant]

 It’s hard for me to be pessimistic after that line he posted, but you’re absolutely right. Also, nitpicking at the guy’s game isn’t necessarily saying he’s a bad player, because he’s clearly a dominant force at a young age, but his lack or range is apparent. He was also unable to guard a guy his own age, Henry Ellenson, any time they were matched up in the post. I agree that he’s still the best option for the #1 pick, and he’s also got a level of talent we haven’t seen in a bit, but teams are going to start daring him to shoot, and it could get ugly.

I do love his ball handling and court vision for such a physically imposing young guy though. If he just gets a bit of a reliable jumper, he’ll be deadly, but that could be a huge "if" knowing how he hasn’t really had to rely on that aspect of his game before.

 

[YungmUNyParticipant]

 It’s hard for me to be pessimistic after that line he posted, but you’re absolutely right. Also, nitpicking at the guy’s game isn’t necessarily saying he’s a bad player, because he’s clearly a dominant force at a young age, but his lack or range is apparent. He was also unable to guard a guy his own age, Henry Ellenson, any time they were matched up in the post. I agree that he’s still the best option for the #1 pick, and he’s also got a level of talent we haven’t seen in a bit, but teams are going to start daring him to shoot, and it could get ugly.

I do love his ball handling and court vision for such a physically imposing young guy though. If he just gets a bit of a reliable jumper, he’ll be deadly, but that could be a huge "if" knowing how he hasn’t really had to rely on that aspect of his game before.

 

[FrankStallone]

 I’ve got to say it looks like an underwhelming draft in general, at the top anyway.

Simmons would be great on a team like Boston with multiple stretch bigs on the court at all times, but can you imagine Simmons/Noel/Okafor?

Most people here don’t care much about spacing as long as a guy gets fantasy stats and the team looks good on paper, but Simmons could end up putting up empty assists and rebounds next to Okafor putting up empty points on a perennially underachieving team. But even then, as long as those guys are putting up stats, nobody will blame them.

The Lakers discarded Jeremy Lin to "upgrade" with the drafting of Russell. Watch Philly end up with a taller Evan Turner and get similar results.

 

 

 

[SlickBouncePassParticipant]

Evan Turner and Ben Simmons are like exact opposites when it comes to quickness and athleticism actually.

Ben Simmons is FF going to the rim.  Evan Turner is slow motion.  

I also think Simmons has more guard skills and is a way better passer than Turner.  Just stop with the Simmons Turner comp….makes you look bad.

Yes I understand they both can’t shoot, but even if teams lay off Simmons, he will go to the hole at 6’10” and then make the right pass.  He sees plays before they happen.

I think his competitiveness is also underrated because the game comes easy to him.  He is basically doing whatever he wants on the college level as a freshman.  Dominating the game athletically with his size.   I think he’ll do the same at the NBA level, he’ll turn it up a notch.  Didn’t he have Lebron James’ attention at his camp?  Isn’t that enough for you.  Guy is smart.  

Every day we gotta hear about his weaknesses as if someone found out something new about the kid. 

 

 

   

[FrankStallone]

 Evan Turner is a solid athlete, has/had sick handles like Simmons, is a good rebounder, and is good at getting triple doubles. Turner is also a very steady mid range jump shooter, something Simmons isn’t even trying to practice right now.

I def think Simmons is a better prospect than Turner, but that’s if he can show that he can play tough in the post or move his feet and defend NBA level small forwards. Both big ifs at this point.

If he’s a small forward, he’s still going to need at least one, if not two stretch bigs on the court with him in order to be great. Because he could be great at posting up small forwards, even if he’s giving up almost as much on the other end, but he’s going to need space to post up, and that means playing next to bigs that can stretch the floor and cut opportunistically.

 

 

[FrankStallone]

 Evan Turner is a solid athlete, has/had sick handles like Simmons, is a good rebounder, and is good at getting triple doubles. Turner is also a very steady mid range jump shooter, something Simmons isn’t even trying to practice right now.

I def think Simmons is a better prospect than Turner, but that’s if he can show that he can play tough in the post or move his feet and defend NBA level small forwards. Both big ifs at this point.

If he’s a small forward, he’s still going to need at least one, if not two stretch bigs on the court with him in order to be great. Because he could be great at posting up small forwards, even if he’s giving up almost as much on the other end, but he’s going to need space to post up, and that means playing next to bigs that can stretch the floor and cut opportunistically.

 

 

[SlickBouncePassParticipant]

Evan Turner and Ben Simmons are like exact opposites when it comes to quickness and athleticism actually.

Ben Simmons is FF going to the rim.  Evan Turner is slow motion.  

I also think Simmons has more guard skills and is a way better passer than Turner.  Just stop with the Simmons Turner comp….makes you look bad.

Yes I understand they both can’t shoot, but even if teams lay off Simmons, he will go to the hole at 6’10” and then make the right pass.  He sees plays before they happen.

I think his competitiveness is also underrated because the game comes easy to him.  He is basically doing whatever he wants on the college level as a freshman.  Dominating the game athletically with his size.   I think he’ll do the same at the NBA level, he’ll turn it up a notch.  Didn’t he have Lebron James’ attention at his camp?  Isn’t that enough for you.  Guy is smart.  

Every day we gotta hear about his weaknesses as if someone found out something new about the kid. 

 

 

   

[FrankStallone]

 I’ve got to say it looks like an underwhelming draft in general, at the top anyway.

Simmons would be great on a team like Boston with multiple stretch bigs on the court at all times, but can you imagine Simmons/Noel/Okafor?

Most people here don’t care much about spacing as long as a guy gets fantasy stats and the team looks good on paper, but Simmons could end up putting up empty assists and rebounds next to Okafor putting up empty points on a perennially underachieving team. But even then, as long as those guys are putting up stats, nobody will blame them.

The Lakers discarded Jeremy Lin to "upgrade" with the drafting of Russell. Watch Philly end up with a taller Evan Turner and get similar results.

 

 

 

[mgreener_34Participant]

 I’m actually going to disagree with you on one point, as the first time I’ve ever watched Simmons play was this year, and I’ve been extremely impressed with his foundamentals when it comes to rebounds. He does use his athleticism, but once the shot goes up, you almost always see him put a body on someone and box out. To me that was the deal breaker, and think that once the competition gets fiercer, he will play up to it. 

I also think you have to realize players aren’t drafted based off of there ability to play right now, or even in the next 3-4 years. Most players don’t "get it" until that second contract, and by then they have had 4 years to work on whatever defeciencies they may have. I have no worries that Simmons will improve on these areas you highlighted, and think he’s going to be a force in the league if he can stay healthy. Players like Lamar Odem, Dreymond Green, and other comparable prospects don’t have that great of the 3pnt shot, but they were still able to get in the paint, and just flat out make plays.

And I expect Simmons to be better than both of those two players 

[mgreener_34Participant]

 I’m actually going to disagree with you on one point, as the first time I’ve ever watched Simmons play was this year, and I’ve been extremely impressed with his foundamentals when it comes to rebounds. He does use his athleticism, but once the shot goes up, you almost always see him put a body on someone and box out. To me that was the deal breaker, and think that once the competition gets fiercer, he will play up to it. 

I also think you have to realize players aren’t drafted based off of there ability to play right now, or even in the next 3-4 years. Most players don’t "get it" until that second contract, and by then they have had 4 years to work on whatever defeciencies they may have. I have no worries that Simmons will improve on these areas you highlighted, and think he’s going to be a force in the league if he can stay healthy. Players like Lamar Odem, Dreymond Green, and other comparable prospects don’t have that great of the 3pnt shot, but they were still able to get in the paint, and just flat out make plays.

And I expect Simmons to be better than both of those two players 

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 Watching him on the glass reminds me of watching Michael Beasley in college- dude would be in bad position and just flat out, out-athleticism the other guys going for the ball. While thats really cool to watch he won’t be able to get away with that at the next level so I hope he can get drilled into his head the need to put in max effort on the defensive end and be locked in on both sides. 

[he_gets_bucketsParticipant]

 Watching him on the glass reminds me of watching Michael Beasley in college- dude would be in bad position and just flat out, out-athleticism the other guys going for the ball. While thats really cool to watch he won’t be able to get away with that at the next level so I hope he can get drilled into his head the need to put in max effort on the defensive end and be locked in on both sides. 

[BleedGreen808Participant]

 My question is what position does he end up playing in the NBA.  There are pros and cons to him playing at the 3 or 4.  Of course it’s hard to be nitpicking about his game when he’s been dominating the college game so far at only 19 years old.  He still has a ton of room to grow and he appears to have the work ethic to backup his talent.  As of right now he is the clear #1 pick in my mind.  

At SF:

He has a size advantage on most small forwards in the NBA right now.  It would allow him to post up smaller defenders and make the right play out of a double team.  The downside is he has yet to take a 3 in four college games.  Teams will sag off of him daring him to take outside shots right now.  I do expect him to work heavily on his jump shot heading into the draft.  How will he handle guarding on the perimeter against the top small forwards in Lebron, KD, and Paul George?

At PF:

Simmons will have the quickness advantage against pretty much all PFs.  He would be a nightmare for power  forwards to pick up on the break.  Teams right now would sag off of him at PF as well which would limit his ability to take bigs off the dribble.  As Dazzling mentioned Simmons has been playing soft defense at times giving up layups.  I noticed it last game against South Alabama where in the 2nd half they went at him in the post.  He picked up 2-3 quick fouls and then was reluctant to defend the opposing player in the post.  If he is going to be a PF he will need to get stronger and more willing to defend in the post.  

 

[WinterSoldierParticipant]

He is a better perimeter defender than a post defender. I could see a team using him as a small four in stretches but he cannot guard NBA fours on a consistant basis. His passing and ball handling makes him more valuable setting up plays at the top of the key rather than playing in the post. He needs to learn to shoot but his playmaking makes him a obvious wing in the NBA game. 

[BleedGreen808Participant]

 I’ll take your word for it about his perimeter defense.  These four games are the first I’ve really gotten to see him play.  Personally, I see him as a SF that can play small ball 4 at times.  I’m sure he’ll develop his shot so it has to be respected.  Teams used to sag off of Lebron until he put in the work to be a threat from outside.  I agree that he’s better suited playing on the perimeter setting up teammates and initiating the offense.  It’s also an asset if he can take a smaller defender into the post forcing a double team to kick the ball to the open man.  There are some people on here that have stated they see him as a PF in the NBA, so I’ve been watching trying to see how he plays in the post and on the perimeter.  

[bumbleb33Participant]

He is going to be a liability on defense at the 4. he has a standing reach of 8’7 so cant protect the rim or defend NBA bigs. we saw how helpless he was today against henry ellenson and NBA big men are more athletic and longer

[BleedGreen808Participant]

 Did you not read my posts?  I said I see him as a SF who can play small ball 4.  I also mentioned that I’ve seen him struggle to defend the post.  South Alabama went at him in the 2nd half in the post and he picked up quick fouls.  Regardless he’s been a joy to watch in his first four games.  He clearly hasn’t needed any time to adjust to the college game so far.  

[BleedGreen808Participant]

 Did you not read my posts?  I said I see him as a SF who can play small ball 4.  I also mentioned that I’ve seen him struggle to defend the post.  South Alabama went at him in the 2nd half in the post and he picked up quick fouls.  Regardless he’s been a joy to watch in his first four games.  He clearly hasn’t needed any time to adjust to the college game so far.  

[bumbleb33Participant]

He is going to be a liability on defense at the 4. he has a standing reach of 8’7 so cant protect the rim or defend NBA bigs. we saw how helpless he was today against henry ellenson and NBA big men are more athletic and longer

[bumbleb33Participant]

He is going to be a liability on defense at the 4. he has a standing reach of 8’7 so cant protect the rim or defend NBA bigs. we saw how helpless he was today against henry ellenson and NBA big men are more athletic and longer

[bumbleb33Participant]

He is going to be a liability on defense at the 4. he has a standing reach of 8’7 so cant protect the rim or defend NBA bigs. we saw how helpless he was today against henry ellenson and NBA big men are more athletic and longer

[BleedGreen808Participant]

 I’ll take your word for it about his perimeter defense.  These four games are the first I’ve really gotten to see him play.  Personally, I see him as a SF that can play small ball 4 at times.  I’m sure he’ll develop his shot so it has to be respected.  Teams used to sag off of Lebron until he put in the work to be a threat from outside.  I agree that he’s better suited playing on the perimeter setting up teammates and initiating the offense.  It’s also an asset if he can take a smaller defender into the post forcing a double team to kick the ball to the open man.  There are some people on here that have stated they see him as a PF in the NBA, so I’ve been watching trying to see how he plays in the post and on the perimeter.  

[WinterSoldierParticipant]

He is a better perimeter defender than a post defender. I could see a team using him as a small four in stretches but he cannot guard NBA fours on a consistant basis. His passing and ball handling makes him more valuable setting up plays at the top of the key rather than playing in the post. He needs to learn to shoot but his playmaking makes him a obvious wing in the NBA game. 

[BleedGreen808Participant]

 My question is what position does he end up playing in the NBA.  There are pros and cons to him playing at the 3 or 4.  Of course it’s hard to be nitpicking about his game when he’s been dominating the college game so far at only 19 years old.  He still has a ton of room to grow and he appears to have the work ethic to backup his talent.  As of right now he is the clear #1 pick in my mind.  

At SF:

He has a size advantage on most small forwards in the NBA right now.  It would allow him to post up smaller defenders and make the right play out of a double team.  The downside is he has yet to take a 3 in four college games.  Teams will sag off of him daring him to take outside shots right now.  I do expect him to work heavily on his jump shot heading into the draft.  How will he handle guarding on the perimeter against the top small forwards in Lebron, KD, and Paul George?

At PF:

Simmons will have the quickness advantage against pretty much all PFs.  He would be a nightmare for power  forwards to pick up on the break.  Teams right now would sag off of him at PF as well which would limit his ability to take bigs off the dribble.  As Dazzling mentioned Simmons has been playing soft defense at times giving up layups.  I noticed it last game against South Alabama where in the 2nd half they went at him in the post.  He picked up 2-3 quick fouls and then was reluctant to defend the opposing player in the post.  If he is going to be a PF he will need to get stronger and more willing to defend in the post.  

 

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 I see him as primarily a pf at the next level but he could play some SF and even some small ball center in certain situations. When he gets a rebound he will be able to push the ball in transition and make a play, essentially functioning as a point forward. I don’t think you can play him consistently at the 3 unless he really develops his shot or you surround him with bigs that can stretch the floor. For example, i think a lineup of Simmons, okafor and noel would create too many spacing issues. The difference between him and lebron at the same age was that least lebron was a threat from outside and could at least make enough shots to keep the defense honest even if he wasn’t consistent. Simmons wont even shoot the ball from outside the paint right now.

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 I see him as primarily a pf at the next level but he could play some SF and even some small ball center in certain situations. When he gets a rebound he will be able to push the ball in transition and make a play, essentially functioning as a point forward. I don’t think you can play him consistently at the 3 unless he really develops his shot or you surround him with bigs that can stretch the floor. For example, i think a lineup of Simmons, okafor and noel would create too many spacing issues. The difference between him and lebron at the same age was that least lebron was a threat from outside and could at least make enough shots to keep the defense honest even if he wasn’t consistent. Simmons wont even shoot the ball from outside the paint right now.

[SkalAndJamalParticipant]

Isnt he like 19, why are we stressing about the few things he isnt very good at when in comparison he excels in so much more. 

[SkalAndJamalParticipant]

Isnt he like 19, why are we stressing about the few things he isnt very good at when in comparison he excels in so much more. 

[NBAjunkie81Participant]

 Level & he put up a 21 point, 20 rebound & 7 assist Stat line!!!  Oh My Gawd!!!

Jaylan Brown is tearing it up tonight too! did someone seriously say that the Top of the Draft is going to be weak!?!?!

 

[SkalAndJamalParticipant]

I say the top 5-10 makes this class great. but then after that its horse crap.

[SkalAndJamalParticipant]

I say the top 5-10 makes this class great. but then after that its horse crap.

[Magic JordanParticipant]

 Yes, our local draft guru T Rex.

[Magic JordanParticipant]

 Yes, our local draft guru T Rex.

[NBAjunkie81Participant]

 Level & he put up a 21 point, 20 rebound & 7 assist Stat line!!!  Oh My Gawd!!!

Jaylan Brown is tearing it up tonight too! did someone seriously say that the Top of the Draft is going to be weak!?!?!

 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

The lackadaisical defensive effort by LSU yesterday was not limited to Simmons. Not to nitpick, but some of the reason his rebounding numbers were so high is because no one else goes to the glass. It looked like a young team that did not appreciate the attention to detail required to win college games, and that was as bad of a Marquette team as I have seen in a long time. LSU was afforded a chance to win that game because of how poorly coached Marquette is, which is a shame because I liked what I saw from Ellenson, Wilson, and Fischer. If Buzz Williams was still there, they could have been a good team. It will be interesting to see how LSU responds today against NC State. Also, NC State will have a lot of length and athleticism to throw out on the court. Like Marquette, don’t think NC State is going to be a great team, but LSU is not a lock tournament team in my eyes. Every victory in a 50-50 game matters. 

Back to Simmons, he was a brilliant creator and far advanced of his age in terms of understanding the game. It is great to see. He probably deserved a triple-double based off how many shots he created for his teammates, but that happens. The shot is a concern, but that is not a deal breaker. It will certainly be more of a factor to note once SEC play begins and the scouting reports and gameplans are better. It will also be worth checking into seeing how he finishes against a team with shot blockers and will contest him in the lane like Anya, Martin, and Abu.

Also, this was the first full LSU game I watched and was sick of the LeBron comparisons already. Simmons is good, but that one is a ‘no’ every day. The speed, power, and body control of LeBron is unlike anyone else. Simmons is going to be very good, but whatever pitiful team is lucky enough to get him is not getting another LeBron. 

 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

The lackadaisical defensive effort by LSU yesterday was not limited to Simmons. Not to nitpick, but some of the reason his rebounding numbers were so high is because no one else goes to the glass. It looked like a young team that did not appreciate the attention to detail required to win college games, and that was as bad of a Marquette team as I have seen in a long time. LSU was afforded a chance to win that game because of how poorly coached Marquette is, which is a shame because I liked what I saw from Ellenson, Wilson, and Fischer. If Buzz Williams was still there, they could have been a good team. It will be interesting to see how LSU responds today against NC State. Also, NC State will have a lot of length and athleticism to throw out on the court. Like Marquette, don’t think NC State is going to be a great team, but LSU is not a lock tournament team in my eyes. Every victory in a 50-50 game matters. 

Back to Simmons, he was a brilliant creator and far advanced of his age in terms of understanding the game. It is great to see. He probably deserved a triple-double based off how many shots he created for his teammates, but that happens. The shot is a concern, but that is not a deal breaker. It will certainly be more of a factor to note once SEC play begins and the scouting reports and gameplans are better. It will also be worth checking into seeing how he finishes against a team with shot blockers and will contest him in the lane like Anya, Martin, and Abu.

Also, this was the first full LSU game I watched and was sick of the LeBron comparisons already. Simmons is good, but that one is a ‘no’ every day. The speed, power, and body control of LeBron is unlike anyone else. Simmons is going to be very good, but whatever pitiful team is lucky enough to get him is not getting another LeBron. 

 

[SpinCycle88Participant]

 The things that he’s "bad" at are things that will get worked on and adjusted as he gets older. Lebron wasn’t always the defender we see today. Kobe wasn’t always the jump shooter we’ve grown accustomed to seeing. The things with Simmons is he’s got the mentality, the edge, the moxie to be great. He’s going to be fine. 

[SpinCycle88Participant]

 The things that he’s "bad" at are things that will get worked on and adjusted as he gets older. Lebron wasn’t always the defender we see today. Kobe wasn’t always the jump shooter we’ve grown accustomed to seeing. The things with Simmons is he’s got the mentality, the edge, the moxie to be great. He’s going to be fine. 

[markfitz14Participant]

 He should at least take jump shots so he can work on the process. Wow that passing was amazing. Even making passes on the run at 6’10!!!! I only watched the begining but yeah that dude makes other around him better. But I didn’t see any offensive moves accept drives to which were layups.

He should steal some of lebrons game and drive to short jumpers or floaters. Fade away jumpers.

 

Maybe I just missed these jump shots. I didn’t see any in his highlights either though. Did he even take one?

 

 

 

 

[markfitz14Participant]

 He should at least take jump shots so he can work on the process. Wow that passing was amazing. Even making passes on the run at 6’10!!!! I only watched the begining but yeah that dude makes other around him better. But I didn’t see any offensive moves accept drives to which were layups.

He should steal some of lebrons game and drive to short jumpers or floaters. Fade away jumpers.

 

Maybe I just missed these jump shots. I didn’t see any in his highlights either though. Did he even take one?

 

 

 

 

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