5 reasons Ben Simmons shouldn’t be the NBA Draft’s first pick

5. He can’t guard the perimeter

Don’t let his gaudy steal and rebound numbers fool you, Ben Simmons is not even an average perimeter defender. He isn’t Jahlil Okafor or Enes Kanter bad, but he isn’t that much better at guarding the perimeter as those two statuesque defenders either.

At 6-10, you might think that Simmons can play as a power forward at the next level, but that still requires you to guard out on the perimeter in the NBA. Stretch fours are becoming the norm instead of the exception and Simmons would struggle to guard quite a few power forwards at the next level.

Some see Simmons playing the small forward spot which obviously is even more problematic. He doesn’t have a prayer of staying in front of guys like LeBron James or Kevin Durant on the defensive end. They’d light him up like a Christmas tree.

Simmons doesn’t have to become a plus defender to have big-time value at the next level but he can’t be a turn style either. He’s going to require a lot of work to mold into a reasonable perimeter defender.

Next: 4. He has no position