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2016 NBA Draft: Best big men

By Chip Williams

Mar 21, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Utah Utes forward Jakob Poeltl (42) dunks the basketball against Georgetown Hoyas forward Paul White (13) during the second half in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 21, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Utah Utes forward Jakob Poeltl (42) dunks the basketball against Georgetown Hoyas forward Paul White (13) during the second half in the third round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Godofredo Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 13, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) brings the ball up court against the Texas A&M Aggies during the first half of a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2016; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) brings the ball up court against the Texas A&M Aggies during the first half of a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /

1. Ben Simmons, PF, LSU

Ben Simmons has legitimate potential to be a star in the NBA. He came into college with plenty of hype, and it’s difficult to say he didn’t live up to it, averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game as a freshman at LSU.

He’s virtually unstoppable in transition whether he’s making a play on the ball or filling a lane for a lob. Simmons does a great job of grabbing a defensive rebound and immediately taking off of the court to start a transition break, something NBA bigs are doing more and more of in recent years.

Simmons’ best attribute may be his elite passing ability that stems from his high basketball IQ and a feel for the game that simply cannot be taught. He makes plenty of highlight reel passes that only a handful of basketball players in the world can make. Simmons also possesses incredible footwork for someone his size and won’t have a problem switching onto smaller players defensively when motivated.

Shooting is one of the biggest knocks on Simmons right now, and it will be interesting to see how his shot develops and if his willingness and confidence to shoot jumpers increases with time.

Simmons’ role in the NBA is another thing to keep an eye on as he progresses early in his career. The big question will be can he be the type of player a franchise builds around? If not, what kind of role will he play?

Simmons will likely be one of the odds on favorites to win rookie of the year wherever he ends up, but there are still plenty of questions to be answered as to just exactly what type of NBA career he will end up having.

To read more about Ben Simmons, click here.

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