Simmons needs to get better

Elaine Burke
February 24, 2016
Our uncontrolled fears can lead us into sin
March 2, 2016
Elaine Burke
February 24, 2016
Our uncontrolled fears can lead us into sin
March 2, 2016

Sometimes in life, people become mentally enslaved by the dominant opinion.


It’s not necessarily always a bad thing, but it really does happen more often than we think in our world.

Think about it – it’s all around us everywhere we turn in life.

If all we hear and see in our worlds are folks who believe that the McRib is outstanding, Taylor Swift equals amazing music and that dabbing is a wise thing to do after scoring a touchdown, then folks will latch onto that and feed it into deeper existence.


That’s because human beings are creatures of habit and like to fit in amongst one another, which is, of course, why clothing designs and hairstyles have fads and why different things become popular, then unpopular as time goes by.

OK, psychology lesson aside, let’s talk basketball.

The dominant opinion right now amongst the basketball nation is that LSU standout forward Ben Simmons is the best college player in the past decade. Folks think that Simmons will go pro after this season, be the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft and ascend to instant superstardom once in the league.


This opinion is so widely held that it, too, has become overly dominant and near-universally held.

But today, I am going to step out on a ledge and go the other way.

I am here to say today that I don’t think Simmons will be a superstar in the NBA.


In fact, I think he has a long way to go before he can even be a big-time, high-end player at all.

When I look at Simmons, the fan in me sees the all-world athleticism, but the coach in me sees a broken skillset that is loaded with flaws.

Right now, when I study Ben Simmons, I see a guy who can score the ball one of two ways – slam dunk and layup.


Simmons averages 19 points per game, yes. But zero of those points come from outside of the paint, which makes it easy to deny him the ball – especially late in games.

I hate to break the news to LSU fans, but the kid simply doesn’t have a jumper – not even a semblance of one. Simmons shoots everything from either under the bucket or at the free throw line. He doesn’t even try to stretch his range deeper unless he’s forced to by the shot clock.

In college, when facing teams where 11 players out of the 12-man roster will be selling insurance in three years, that’s OK. But in the NBA, everyone’s a pro. Simmons will have to greatly diversify his offensive attack or he will become obsolete in a hurry.


The league is one today in which you have to be

able to score the ball from the perimeter to be a true superstar. That’s not just me talking out of my rear end. Google it. Literally every, single dominant NBA player can score from 18 feet and beyond – Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins included. There are no exceptions or shortcuts. If you can’t shoot, you can’t play. Period.

Simmons has to fix that fatal flaw in a hurry if he hopes to become the player that scouts project him to be.


Working a little on his defense wouldn’t hurt, either.

Fans fawn over Simmons’ rebounding stats at LSU, and rightfully so, because he pulls down 12-13 a game with ease.

But the kid is not a very good on-ball defender, and he will be an awkward defender in his NBA career.


Think about it – what position can Simmons guard at the next level?

Is he quick enough to guard small forwards? If so, can he do so without fouling? I tend to wonder about that, because he’s been unable to stay on the court in crucial moments in college because of his propensity for committing cheap, untimely fouls in bad moments.

If unable to play defense outside, is he strong enough to play the paint? In college, he’s fairly competent down low in most games, but the elite opponents have been able to back him down and pin him under the basket. That would probably become pretty commonplace in the NBA until Simmons gained weight.


It’s a dilemma – one that teams must figure out before investing the No. 1 pick on the young man.

Look, this column is not a kick Ben Simmons piece.

The kid is phenomenal-an All-World talent who is likely poised for big things.


All I’m saying is that it’s going to take some work.

This idea that Simmons will waltz into the NBA, join the Philadelphia 76ers (or some other inept lottery team) and break the doors down immediately is foolish.

If he were that good, why isn’t LSU in the Top 25?


If he were that big of an impact player, why is his college team maybe not amongst the best 68 in the country?

Draft Simmons No. 1, but only do so if your scouting services think he has the game to warrant that selection.

Don’t do it just because that’s what everyone else says that you should do.


To me, this is a case where the majority opinion is not seeing the full picture, but is blinding the masses.

Simmons needs to get better