The Step Back Composite NBA Draft Big Board: The best 30 draft prospects of the 2010s

No. 1 overall pick, Philadelphia 76ers, 2016

The controversy around Ben Simmons that let Brandon Ingram slide into the conversation for No. 1 pick in 2016 was largely overblown. Yes, Simmons’ LSU didn’t make the NCAA Tournament, and it was largely because Simmons quit on the team. But he was still certainly a star-level talent, and it was easy to project that his NBA value was going to far outweigh his college impact. LSU never quite figured out that it could allow Simmons to be a full-time point guard, thanks to his elite half-court passing ability, and instead, his frequent brilliance was interrupted by a heavy dose of Tim Quarterman shenanigans.

Just from a playstyle perspective, it was clear that Simmons was going to redefine the league’s previous conceptions of what a point guard could be. At nearly 6-foot-10 with excellent strength, Simmons could not only run pick-and-roll and get to the rim with ease, he also had value as a roll man, using his touch and excellent positioning to run 3-1 and 4-1 pick-and-roll with wings at the NBA level. His agility and versatility at the point of attack on defense also make him an inherent defensive plus, a player who you can craft a system around simply because he can fill multiple roles within a system. Even though the shooting question has proven to be a bigger deal than anticipated, he still raises the ceiling of any team he’s on based on his unique blend of talents. Just because LSU wasn’t a good fit for him didn’t negate the fact that he had a very high likelihood of changing his team’s fortunes for the positive.