The #1 overall pick in the NBA Draft drama is over; we have an answer. Ben Simmons is going first overall to the Philadelphia 76ers, just like we all thought anyway. Most experts have though this for well over a year. The Sixers have informed Simmons, and now the word is out. Sorry (no, we’re not really sorry) ESPN, if this hurts your ratings for NBA Draft night. Here’s a link to our feature/scouting report on Ben Simmons.
I guess everyone gets at least one pick correct in their NBA mock draft now.
The 76ers have informed Ben Simmons he will be selected #1 overall in the 2016 NBA draft https://t.co/gitbesUmNF pic.twitter.com/FN0aiQvhI7
— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) June 21, 2016
Ben Simmons will be drafted by the 76ers: https://t.co/A0cKPnmyNR pic.twitter.com/srGoFcwHf5
— The Sports Quotient (@SportsQuotient) June 21, 2016
ESPN NBA Draftnik Chad Ford, who answered media questions during Friday’s NBA Draft media call, did some Q&A on the 76ers, Here’s transcript of the Sixers and Ben Simmons Answer via ESPNmediazone.com
Ford:
“I think with the No. 1 pick, they’re going to select Ben Simmons. I think that he has been the frontrunner from day one. I think there was a lot of debate in the Sixers’ front office about Brandon Ingram and even a little bit with Kris Dunn. I think in both cases because they were better fits as far as need goes. I think at the end of the day, they feel like Simmons has the highest upside. He’s the best talent in this draft, and that they’re going to figure out how to make it work.”
“Obviously the Sixers need backcourt help and they need shooting and they’re going to have to address that other ways, be it the draft or free agency or what have you, but when you get the chance to draft a 6’10”, 240-pound point guard with elite court vision and who’s an elite athlete, you don’t pass that up, and you’re watching what LeBron is doing right now in the Playoffs, and there’s just no answer for players that have those elite physical skills that then have guard basketball skills, and I think that’s what makes Simmons so attractive. I think the Sixers will figure out how to play him at point guard, how to put the ball in his hands, because that’s what he is and how he’s comfortable, and who knows, he may end up solving this point guard dilemma for the Sixers just by having Simmons play that.”
“As far as 24 and 26 go, it’s really hard to know because this draft is so fluid.”
We’re still trying to figure out the order of the top ten picks and to figure out what’s happening at 24 and 26, but I think there’s a couple things you can look at. One is obviously the Sixers need shooting and there’s going to be a couple players in that range, whether it’s a Malik Beasley out of Florida State or Malachi Richardson out of Syracuse, perhaps even an international player like a Furkan Korkmaz, so that might be a little low for him.
“Juan Hernangomez, guys that can really shoot the basketball are going to come at a priority. And then I think also maybe a combo guard, someone that can be both a ball handler and play the 1 and the 2, if Dejounte Murray was there out of Washington, I think there’s a lot of interest there, Tyler Ulis out of Kentucky. I think there’s a number of options for them as they get down that far in the draft.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram
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