NBA Draft: 5 reasons 76ers should draft Brandon Ingram No. 1
By Tom West
The Philadelphia 76ers won the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery and could easily take Ben Simmons with the No. 1 pick, but here’s why they need to select Brandon Ingram instead.
Precisely as the odds predicted, the Philadelphia 76ers won the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery. Sam Hinkie’s infamous “Process” and tank culture has resulted in the No. 1 overall pick and the opportunity to select either Brandon Ingram or Ben Simmons, the unanimous top two players in the draft class possessing great talent and potential.
In Ingram, the 76ers gain the NBA’s prototypical 3-and-D wing with ideal size, fluidity and length, whereas Simmons offers even rarer college production and playmaking. He’s a 6’10” forward who can handle the ball, read the court and deliver passes unlike almost anyone his size and the numbers he recorded in his one season at LSU (19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game) are historically impressive.
Should the intrigue and ceiling of Simmons make him the No. 1 pick?
It’s easy to make that argument and it’s been reported that the 76ers are actually leaning towards Simmons. However, rumors are rumors and we can’t know who the 76ers will take when the 2016 NBA Draft actually rolls around.
There are so many reasons why Ingram is the right pick for Philadelphia and why Simmons should fall 2nd to the Los Angeles Lakers because of it.
So, let’s get right to it with Ingram’s superior fit in Philly.
Next: 5. How would Ben Simmons fit with the 76ers?