[valentine]

Im struggling to understand how theres even a conversation for #1 in 2016. Its CLEARLY Ben Simmons and theres not even another player close. This website has him #1, but more than half of the others have him behind Skal and Jaylen Brown and this seems utterly ridiculous to me.

Is one of the draftnet guys at the Nike Academy, because everything I read about Simmons is how hes holding his own against all the Pros.

The guy is one of the best HS players ever (3x national champ) and is a 6’10" point forward with a game closer to Lebron than anyone else we’ve seen. Hes a bit bigger and a bit less athletic, but otherwise its a very close comparison. Definitely equal passing and ball handling ability. 

Am I crazy…or are we looking at the next big thing here and true franchise changing talent. He could play in the NBA this season and start for a dozen teams at least. 

Thoughts?…particularly on how hes ranked.

 

 

 

 

[BallerScriptParticipant]

 Like Ben Simmons Skal Labissiere has no glaring weaknesses which is why I see them on the same tier. Skal is a 7 foot rim protector who is very gifted offensivly. He has a sweet jumper which can extend out to 3 point, good athleticism and footwork, a great post game, good rebounding and good court vision for his size and position. I think that Labiessere’s extra 2 inches of height and better defense makes him the preferrable prospect.

[BallerScriptParticipant]

 Like Ben Simmons Skal Labissiere has no glaring weaknesses which is why I see them on the same tier. Skal is a 7 foot rim protector who is very gifted offensivly. He has a sweet jumper which can extend out to 3 point, good athleticism and footwork, a great post game, good rebounding and good court vision for his size and position. I think that Labiessere’s extra 2 inches of height and better defense makes him the preferrable prospect.

[ChicagoCaseyParticipant]

 To me he’s not number one.  I have to go with Skal because of his size and skill. At the hoop summit he looked clearly like the number 1 pick. I do believe Jaylen Brown is the more dominate player then Simmons is as well and when they played against each other in high school. 

I have Ben Simmons as the number 2 player in the 2016 class and I believe the top 3 is close.

 

[ChicagoCaseyParticipant]

 To me he’s not number one.  I have to go with Skal because of his size and skill. At the hoop summit he looked clearly like the number 1 pick. I do believe Jaylen Brown is the more dominate player then Simmons is as well and when they played against each other in high school. 

I have Ben Simmons as the number 2 player in the 2016 class and I believe the top 3 is close.

 

[Drake_3Participant]

 andrew wiggins in highschool or Ben Simmons ?

[Drake_3Participant]

 andrew wiggins in highschool or Ben Simmons ?

[wonzi_bellsParticipant]

 Wiggins, by far

[wonzi_bellsParticipant]

 Wiggins, by far

[flybobbyflyParticipant]

 I’m amazed when I watch Simmons. He is so much more like Lebron than Lamar Odom. Jaylen Brown and Skal both look like awesome players, but I feel comfortable betting that Simmons will be in the hall of fame some day. He’s that good, that special. 

Nobody else is going number 1

 

 

[flybobbyflyParticipant]

 I’m amazed when I watch Simmons. He is so much more like Lebron than Lamar Odom. Jaylen Brown and Skal both look like awesome players, but I feel comfortable betting that Simmons will be in the hall of fame some day. He’s that good, that special. 

Nobody else is going number 1

 

 

[nath09Participant]

I would like to know the age of the people who prefer Skal and the age of who prefer Simmons.

Through the consesus of time the thought process has always been to take the 7 footer; butnow the game has changed in recent times and  not since Shaq was in Miami 10 years ago has any all NBA team centre been on a championship roster.

The thinking has always been when in doubt pick the big man but maybe that thinking needs to change and perhaps that’s what the Lakers have done just last week. 

So what I would like to know is it the new generation who wants the 7 footer or is it the old schoolers? 

P.S. I’m an old schooler but I still want Simmons.

 

 

 

 

 

[nath09Participant]

I would like to know the age of the people who prefer Skal and the age of who prefer Simmons.

Through the consesus of time the thought process has always been to take the 7 footer; butnow the game has changed in recent times and  not since Shaq was in Miami 10 years ago has any all NBA team centre been on a championship roster.

The thinking has always been when in doubt pick the big man but maybe that thinking needs to change and perhaps that’s what the Lakers have done just last week. 

So what I would like to know is it the new generation who wants the 7 footer or is it the old schoolers? 

P.S. I’m an old schooler but I still want Simmons.

 

 

 

 

 

[wonzi_bellsParticipant]

 Well, I do like Simmons but to play devil’s advocate, he’s a bit of a tweener on both ends. Which position does he guard? It’s still safe to question whether or not he has the lateral quickness to contain small forward on the next level and he doesn’t have enough bulk to guard power forwards. His wingspan and standing reach are slightly below average too. Also, will he improve as a shooter since he’s sub-par now. He’s a bit turnover prone too. It’s still fine to call him a poor man’s LeBron but I wonder how good a poor man’s LeBron is.

As for Labissiere, since his frame looks like it can get big enough to play the center position and he’s already shown the capabilities of having three-point range, much less an 18 footer, I think as of now scouts like the clarity in his game and how he’ll translate into the league. Although, I’ve been hearing recruiting analysis say he has the same problem as Simmons, in that he’s a step below elite with his athleticism. Like he’s good but not freaky athletic. 

 

[wonzi_bellsParticipant]

 Well, I do like Simmons but to play devil’s advocate, he’s a bit of a tweener on both ends. Which position does he guard? It’s still safe to question whether or not he has the lateral quickness to contain small forward on the next level and he doesn’t have enough bulk to guard power forwards. His wingspan and standing reach are slightly below average too. Also, will he improve as a shooter since he’s sub-par now. He’s a bit turnover prone too. It’s still fine to call him a poor man’s LeBron but I wonder how good a poor man’s LeBron is.

As for Labissiere, since his frame looks like it can get big enough to play the center position and he’s already shown the capabilities of having three-point range, much less an 18 footer, I think as of now scouts like the clarity in his game and how he’ll translate into the league. Although, I’ve been hearing recruiting analysis say he has the same problem as Simmons, in that he’s a step below elite with his athleticism. Like he’s good but not freaky athletic. 

 

[Dog_ShammdogParticipant]

Ben is an ultimate competitor that can guard EVERY position in college, and almost as many once he gets to the league. Questioning his lateral speed to guard the 3 is preposterous. Have you seen him play? He is incredibly fast in the open floor (with or without the ball) and has steadily improved his lateral quickness since coming to the states. He is undoubtedly capable of guarding the wing. His jumper may not be the best, but to say that it is subpar is selling him short. He has natural scoring ability and touch, his jumper will come along. Whatever quams you have with his measurements are relative non issues bc of his versatility, he has more than enough size,speed and quickness to guard the 3, and the strength and athleticism to guard and rebound at the pf position. 

He isn’t a tweener without a true position, he is a combo forward who can excel at multiple positions. 

[Dog_ShammdogParticipant]

Ben is an ultimate competitor that can guard EVERY position in college, and almost as many once he gets to the league. Questioning his lateral speed to guard the 3 is preposterous. Have you seen him play? He is incredibly fast in the open floor (with or without the ball) and has steadily improved his lateral quickness since coming to the states. He is undoubtedly capable of guarding the wing. His jumper may not be the best, but to say that it is subpar is selling him short. He has natural scoring ability and touch, his jumper will come along. Whatever quams you have with his measurements are relative non issues bc of his versatility, he has more than enough size,speed and quickness to guard the 3, and the strength and athleticism to guard and rebound at the pf position. 

He isn’t a tweener without a true position, he is a combo forward who can excel at multiple positions. 

[JordanC20Participant]

Jamal Murray could easily go # 1 as well…as a UK fan I am actually more excited about him than Skal.

[JordanC20Participant]

Jamal Murray could easily go # 1 as well…as a UK fan I am actually more excited about him than Skal.

[GBeeParticipant]

 Physically and mentally he’s a step ahead of his peers currently.  He has a good understanding of the game and he’s already physically developed, but I can see him being surpassed once his peers catch up to him physically.  There are a handful of guys in his class who have a higher upside than he does IMO. I think he’ll have to make some major strides in his scoring ability (shot, handle, 1 on 1 ability) to maintain his standing.  Currently he gets the overwhelming majority of his points in transition and off of movement.  In terms of scoring, Skal, Ingram and even Rabb or more advanced than Simmons and they have better defensive potential as well given their dimensions. I could see a guy like Dragan Bender surpassing him too.  They kinda do similar things with their ability to pass at their size, but unlike Simmons, Bender has good length and a better stroke too.

[GBeeParticipant]

 Physically and mentally he’s a step ahead of his peers currently.  He has a good understanding of the game and he’s already physically developed, but I can see him being surpassed once his peers catch up to him physically.  There are a handful of guys in his class who have a higher upside than he does IMO. I think he’ll have to make some major strides in his scoring ability (shot, handle, 1 on 1 ability) to maintain his standing.  Currently he gets the overwhelming majority of his points in transition and off of movement.  In terms of scoring, Skal, Ingram and even Rabb or more advanced than Simmons and they have better defensive potential as well given their dimensions. I could see a guy like Dragan Bender surpassing him too.  They kinda do similar things with their ability to pass at their size, but unlike Simmons, Bender has good length and a better stroke too.

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 Right now I’d say he’s the best player in the incoming freshman class, but he’s not at a level where he is head and shoulders above everyone else, like lebron was in high school. Skal, brown and maybe even a few other prospects definitely have the potential to surpass him within the next year, and some might argue they already have. His jump shot definitely needs improvement for him to be effective in the NBA, and that should be his main focus imo. Hes a good athlete, but not great, and he will need to keep defenses honest to be able to get to the basket against NBA level defenders. 

Any comparisons to lebron need to stop right now, as that creates an unfair and unreasonable level of expectation. Lebron was the best and most advanced hs player I’ve ever seen and the only player who I’ve ever seen who you could’ve taken right out of high school, put him on an NBA team and he would instantly be top 10-15 in the league. I definitely don’t see that watching Simmons. Hes a great player and should have an excellent future, but I don’t see him as a once in a generation type talent.

 

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 Right now I’d say he’s the best player in the incoming freshman class, but he’s not at a level where he is head and shoulders above everyone else, like lebron was in high school. Skal, brown and maybe even a few other prospects definitely have the potential to surpass him within the next year, and some might argue they already have. His jump shot definitely needs improvement for him to be effective in the NBA, and that should be his main focus imo. Hes a good athlete, but not great, and he will need to keep defenses honest to be able to get to the basket against NBA level defenders. 

Any comparisons to lebron need to stop right now, as that creates an unfair and unreasonable level of expectation. Lebron was the best and most advanced hs player I’ve ever seen and the only player who I’ve ever seen who you could’ve taken right out of high school, put him on an NBA team and he would instantly be top 10-15 in the league. I definitely don’t see that watching Simmons. Hes a great player and should have an excellent future, but I don’t see him as a once in a generation type talent.

 

[markfitz14Participant]

Wiggins was amazing. But teams just love a big who can do everything. Embid would have went 1st overall if he didn’t get hurt. 

I am really excited for Simmons. I love his size! 230lbs in high school. Wow he is going to be the Hulk once he gains more for the NBA.

 

[markfitz14Participant]

Wiggins was amazing. But teams just love a big who can do everything. Embid would have went 1st overall if he didn’t get hurt. 

I am really excited for Simmons. I love his size! 230lbs in high school. Wow he is going to be the Hulk once he gains more for the NBA.

 

[Taylor Gang MikeParticipant]

 Murray is legit.. Ben and Skal both can go 1. But Ben should be, he a better passer than Mike Beasley but thats his comp. Beasley has a better jumpshot. Simmons can hold his own. But remember Dwayne Bacon, he should be top 5 pick, but he has all the tools to become the next great SG. I would go Ben, Skal, Bacon, Murray and Jaylen brown for my top 5

[Taylor Gang MikeParticipant]

 Murray is legit.. Ben and Skal both can go 1. But Ben should be, he a better passer than Mike Beasley but thats his comp. Beasley has a better jumpshot. Simmons can hold his own. But remember Dwayne Bacon, he should be top 5 pick, but he has all the tools to become the next great SG. I would go Ben, Skal, Bacon, Murray and Jaylen brown for my top 5

[evantomesParticipant]

Rip255 have you seen Skal play? Which game did you go to where you felt he wasn’t even close to Simmons, please don’t say Hoop Summit, JBC, and Ballislife game. Or are you echoing what someone else said in confidence? I’ve seen both and I think Skal is on top for sure.

[evantomesParticipant]

Rip255 have you seen Skal play? Which game did you go to where you felt he wasn’t even close to Simmons, please don’t say Hoop Summit, JBC, and Ballislife game. Or are you echoing what someone else said in confidence? I’ve seen both and I think Skal is on top for sure.

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 Philly will take for either guy.

you have to think that Hinkie is dreaming or Skal at the 3 for the 7 footer Triple Threat front line.  

 

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 Philly will take for either guy.

you have to think that Hinkie is dreaming or Skal at the 3 for the 7 footer Triple Threat front line.  

 

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 Kentucky and LSU are in the same conference so Skal and Ben could play each other up to 3 times this season.

Hopefully we will know what we are getting.

 

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 Kentucky and LSU are in the same conference so Skal and Ben could play each other up to 3 times this season.

Hopefully we will know what we are getting.

 

[TripleDoubleScoutParticipant]

 first lets stop calling simmons a pf. The only reason people list him as a pf is because he is 6’9" or so. His game resembles nothing of a full time post player. He is an oversized guard/wing in the mold of magic/penny. Everyone on this site will finally see this when simmons is running the LSU offense as their best ballhandler/playmaker. This debate is almost a joke. There isnt one thing skal does that simmons cant do, but skal cant do anything near what simmons is known for. This fact alone should end the debate, besides the fact that skal doesn’t possess elite athleticism or superior defensive instincts.

[TripleDoubleScoutParticipant]

 first lets stop calling simmons a pf. The only reason people list him as a pf is because he is 6’9" or so. His game resembles nothing of a full time post player. He is an oversized guard/wing in the mold of magic/penny. Everyone on this site will finally see this when simmons is running the LSU offense as their best ballhandler/playmaker. This debate is almost a joke. There isnt one thing skal does that simmons cant do, but skal cant do anything near what simmons is known for. This fact alone should end the debate, besides the fact that skal doesn’t possess elite athleticism or superior defensive instincts.

[GBeeParticipant]

 I call him a PF because that’s how he plays in the halfcourt.  He’s unique in that he’s a 6’9 guy who can rip and run, running the break but that’s not unseen from PFs (Odom, Diaw, Blake to name a few). In the halfcourt he gets almost all of his points off of garbage opportunities: ie quick posts, short face ups, duck ins, cuts, offensive rebounds, dump off finishes.  He’s currently far more effective doing that than trying to break smaller guys off the dribble or shooting from the outside. His handle, in particular his breakdown ability, is not good for a wing. Neither is his shot. Unless he drastically improves his perimeter game in a short time, he won’t be respected from there which would make him nothing but an oversized ball-mover in the halfcourt should he serve as their primary playmaker.  Take him away from the paint and you take away his best scoring options as well as the ability to use his passing from the post.  Defensively, which is usually how people designate positions (aka you are who you can guard) he’s clearly a tweener.  His lateral quickness isn’t that great for a SF and he lacks length for a PF. He does however look more comfortable defending on the interior where he uses his anticipation to rotate and hands to rebound.

Skal is better at creating his own shot, shooting in general and is better challenging shots with his greater length.  

[GBeeParticipant]

 I call him a PF because that’s how he plays in the halfcourt.  He’s unique in that he’s a 6’9 guy who can rip and run, running the break but that’s not unseen from PFs (Odom, Diaw, Blake to name a few). In the halfcourt he gets almost all of his points off of garbage opportunities: ie quick posts, short face ups, duck ins, cuts, offensive rebounds, dump off finishes.  He’s currently far more effective doing that than trying to break smaller guys off the dribble or shooting from the outside. His handle, in particular his breakdown ability, is not good for a wing. Neither is his shot. Unless he drastically improves his perimeter game in a short time, he won’t be respected from there which would make him nothing but an oversized ball-mover in the halfcourt should he serve as their primary playmaker.  Take him away from the paint and you take away his best scoring options as well as the ability to use his passing from the post.  Defensively, which is usually how people designate positions (aka you are who you can guard) he’s clearly a tweener.  His lateral quickness isn’t that great for a SF and he lacks length for a PF. He does however look more comfortable defending on the interior where he uses his anticipation to rotate and hands to rebound.

Skal is better at creating his own shot, shooting in general and is better challenging shots with his greater length.  

[evantomesParticipant]

 Quick question for everyone…With Skal sitting out most of his junior season and playing for a made up team his senior year, where have you all seen him play? Did you guys attend some Reach Your Dream games? Is this all based on the Hoop Summit? Is this coming from the same expert opinions that thought Thon was the next Durant off of a few YouTube videos? I would just like to know, I didn’t realize he was receiving this much exposure over these past few seasons…

 

[evantomesParticipant]

 Quick question for everyone…With Skal sitting out most of his junior season and playing for a made up team his senior year, where have you all seen him play? Did you guys attend some Reach Your Dream games? Is this all based on the Hoop Summit? Is this coming from the same expert opinions that thought Thon was the next Durant off of a few YouTube videos? I would just like to know, I didn’t realize he was receiving this much exposure over these past few seasons…

 

[moochieeParticipant]

 Yeah give me Simmons for 2015, he’s just so unique.

[moochieeParticipant]

 Yeah give me Simmons for 2015, he’s just so unique.

[Dog_ShammdogParticipant]

Ben Simmons has been showing out at the Nike camp this week.  According to reports from Nola.com that were posted on this site earlier today, Ben has held his own playing d on Anthony Davis and James harden, before ever playing a college game. and not only guarding them, but more than holding his own. "Tweener" is NOT an applicable term when referring to Simmons. He has easily been the stand out at the camp and has lived up to or exceeded expectations. According to the article, he appears to be nearly as tall as Anthony Davis (not nearly as lengthy though) and is a blur in the open floor, add in his elite court vision and bball iq and you have a truly dynamic prospect. He has all the ability in the world to control his destiny, he will not be pigeonholed into a post player, not to say that he won’t be givin his eventual franchise valuable minutes as a big in small ball lineups.

some say that he’s just capitalizing on being an early bloomer, and that when players his age catch up in the maturation process, the talent gap between him and his peers will diminish. I’m not going to say this won’t happen to a slight extent, just not the extent that is alleged. He still has room to grow and improve his game as well. 

Ben Simmons isn’t a novelty item. He is a truly great talent. Him having reached more of his potential before his peers shouldn’t be looked at as a negative, it should be looked at as a testament to his physical gifts, work ethic and determination.

[Dog_ShammdogParticipant]

Ben Simmons has been showing out at the Nike camp this week.  According to reports from Nola.com that were posted on this site earlier today, Ben has held his own playing d on Anthony Davis and James harden, before ever playing a college game. and not only guarding them, but more than holding his own. "Tweener" is NOT an applicable term when referring to Simmons. He has easily been the stand out at the camp and has lived up to or exceeded expectations. According to the article, he appears to be nearly as tall as Anthony Davis (not nearly as lengthy though) and is a blur in the open floor, add in his elite court vision and bball iq and you have a truly dynamic prospect. He has all the ability in the world to control his destiny, he will not be pigeonholed into a post player, not to say that he won’t be givin his eventual franchise valuable minutes as a big in small ball lineups.

some say that he’s just capitalizing on being an early bloomer, and that when players his age catch up in the maturation process, the talent gap between him and his peers will diminish. I’m not going to say this won’t happen to a slight extent, just not the extent that is alleged. He still has room to grow and improve his game as well. 

Ben Simmons isn’t a novelty item. He is a truly great talent. Him having reached more of his potential before his peers shouldn’t be looked at as a negative, it should be looked at as a testament to his physical gifts, work ethic and determination.

[Rip255]

Yeah man, I didn’t want to sound like too much of a homer but I’ve been trying to tell these cats this for 12 months. Remarkably, some are sticking with Skal because he dominated the showcase games. 

Simmons is not just a normal player. These guys don’t just come around. He’s way ahead of anyone in his class and he fits into the categories of "Phenom". He’s going to dominate in the NBA in the same way Magic did and be a triple double threat every night. 

The word Tweener is so inappropriately used to describe. He will play all 5 positions at an All-NBA level. He can get a rebound in traffic, run the floor in an absolute blur, and drop no-look dimes before opposition big-men have even crossed half-court. 

Jay Bilas was definitively saying he’s ahead of Wiggins after watching him for 3 days. To me, he’s the best prospect since Kevin Durant. 

 

[Rip255]

Yeah man, I didn’t want to sound like too much of a homer but I’ve been trying to tell these cats this for 12 months. Remarkably, some are sticking with Skal because he dominated the showcase games. 

Simmons is not just a normal player. These guys don’t just come around. He’s way ahead of anyone in his class and he fits into the categories of "Phenom". He’s going to dominate in the NBA in the same way Magic did and be a triple double threat every night. 

The word Tweener is so inappropriately used to describe. He will play all 5 positions at an All-NBA level. He can get a rebound in traffic, run the floor in an absolute blur, and drop no-look dimes before opposition big-men have even crossed half-court. 

Jay Bilas was definitively saying he’s ahead of Wiggins after watching him for 3 days. To me, he’s the best prospect since Kevin Durant. 

 

[kobyzParticipant]

 He remind me Antoine Walker at the same age…

[kobyzParticipant]

 He remind me Antoine Walker at the same age…

[Hype Machine]

 Bump – Interesting thread. 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[Hype Machine]

 Bump – Interesting thread. 

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[Author]

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