In a word: yes.

Picking a team that can't win is sure to knock his NBA prospects. Yeah, he will get drafted. But I am thinking it might not be the first spot anymore.

Yes he should have. LSU have a very average roster. It would have been beneficial to him in the 1990's as he would be the star straight away and get huge minutes as a freshman (when most players stayed in college at least 2 years).

However these days many players who know they will get drafted leave after 1. Simmons should have gone to one of the powerhouse schools such as a Kentucky or Duke. He would still be the go to guy there too and get better coaching.

It amazes me how David Robinson and Navy managed to do so well in the NCAA tournament with a bunch of Navy players. They beat Syracuse.

So, we are worried that instead of a first up NBA contract $15M he may only get $7M, really?

He went to LSU to get court time and exposure, that's what he got and all the family is happy watching him be the No.1, so how after one season being in the spotlight can we now say (in hindsight) that we think he should have gone elsewhere?

Is what it is guys, and it will be what it will be...

He's still going 1 or 2 in the draft, his upside is so good. He still has aspects of his game to work on, and NBA teams will know this.

Not making the NCAA tourney in his one year in college isn't going to change his prospects too much.

It's always a. Arch 22 for any good player going into the usa college system, especially internationals, though Simmons did finish High School in USA.
Do they pick the best ranking school that wants them,
But has a strong team so your minutes may not be what they want but the chances of making the NCAA are good and they get better coaching or do they go for a lower level one with a weaker roster where they star but are unlikely to make it all the way .

Don't think not making NCAA is going to effect him that much but, if he's struglling academically and doesn't finish college, what if his basketball career takes a huge injury and he can no longer play.... He needs an education, NBA will still be their in another 3 years.

Once he works out for the teams with the top 3 picks they won't care about his team not making March Madness.

They may be more concerned with his attitude in the game he came of the bench.
As that is getting noticed, http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Ben-Simmons-vs-Tennessee-Video-Breakdown-5377/

Don't think it drops him out of the top 2 but depending on the team and GM with the top pick it may mean he goes 2nd.
Brandon Ingram is having a great season and would be the clear top pick if Simmons wasn't already there.

Reply #580087
re: Should Ben Simmons have gone to another college?

Not really. Averaging around 20/12. Had 23/12/6 today. Shaq av' 13.9/12 as a freshman at LSU.

Happy enough here. Go Ben.

Choppy.

He's definitely going #1 unless something major occurred.

Should he have gone to another college? I suppose so, i've made a post about this before.

Ben's stats might be better than Shaq's but how tough was Shaq's competition, and how good were his team-mates in terms of taking minutes and ball off him?

Having said that, I don't think Jones is a good coach, although he may still have been the type of coach Ben needed at this early stage.

There's a big difference between getting coached by Jerry Jones then Coach K or Calipari. He was going to get minutes and exposure where ever he decide to go.

#104 I think it's you who maybe doesn't get it. I don't think winning at NCAA level is that high as far as his priorities go.

Does it matter that Christian Laettner is considered one of, if not, the best college player of all time with his 2 national titles given his (relatively) poor pro record?
Or that Pippen, Rodman, Ben Wallace etc went to Div 2 schools?

Ultimately it's what he does after this year that's going to define his career.

"Just think, if you had one year in the NBA, and one year only. Do you choose the Warriors or the 76ers?"

If you only had one year you would go where the money is, as that one year would need to set you up for the rest of your life. No point winning a title and making $200k if you can come last and make $2mil.

I have to think that NBA teams aren't run by complete idiots. I imagine they put a lot of time, effort, and money into their recruitment.
Maybe a guy who would be on the fringe of getting selected benefits by extra notice, but you have to figure that teams are looking at Simmons already.
So assuming they think he is wonderful, but unable to produce the miracle needed to get his team over the the line, will they think any less of him because of the college?
Ironically HAD his excellence lifted his entire team into contention, that would have be a gigantic plus for him and would make made his choice of college inspired.

If you're arguing that his inability to be judged on his tourney performance counts against him, its not logical. If he plays in the tourney and does better than expected, sure his stocks go up. But you can't expect that he'll do better than expected.

Now yes, I understand that he needs the appropriate competition in which to show-case his talents. Winning MVP of the Idaho BF-league probably doesn't count for much.
But he's starting as a freshman in a Div 1 team, it doesn't get much better than that.

Furthermore, whilst I don't know the strength of his competition, had he gone to a stronger program, would he be getting the same minutes?

He went to LSU due to friend of the family being an assistant. Heard his dad say so at one of the games. Big mistake IMO.
I've heard commentators say the other players on the team don't give him the ball when they should etc. Obviously after an NBA gig also.
I don't think Johnny Jones is a very good coach in that company as he can't have the players playing for him if the above is true. Help D is a missing factor in the LSU team.

The coaching at LSU is the biggest problem IMO.

LSU's offense in the halfcourt is so terrible that there's a chance that Simmons regresses in his one year of college rather than develops... Should've gone to Kentucky.

The other point with LSU's offence is that other teams look like they've worked out how to defend them better, and maybe LSU haven't adjusted too well.

Yes Should of gone to Duke!

I don't know Dave, Julie or Ben. I don't care if Johnny Jones is the only non asshole coaching a college team. But he is not very good. LSU were up 18 or so and nearly got run down. To hear the commentator (Dan Dickhead) criticizing Jones or any other coach is not usual, but he was relentless yesterday. Their D is terrible and is coached better by most junior coaches in Australia.