LSU star Ben Simmons will most likely be the player that the Philadelphia 76ers select with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. He is a rare find; a player with the size and physical profile of a power forward but the skill set of a point guard.
Simmons is also a life-long Lakers fan, leading many to speculate that he would attempt to force his way to Los Angeles, who hold the second pick.
However, during a recent appearance on Australian radio station “The Grill 104.9”, Simmons put those rumors to rest and stated that he wants to be the number one pick:
“For me, I just want to be the number one player. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to go first, so if I go first it’s awesome. I’ve worked so far to just be that and go to a team like that. So, wherever I go I’ll be lucky to be picked up.”
This statement, combined with the news that Simmons met with the 76ers on Thursday but has not scheduled a similar meeting with the Lakers, suggests that he will indeed be the first player off the board during Thursday’s draft.
Interestingly enough, this scenario may be exactly what the Lakers are hoping for, as news broke that the team would have targeted Duke’s Brandon Ingram if they had the number one pick.
While this could just be spin on the Lakers’ part, there is no question that Ingram’s skill set makes him the better fit alongside core players D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle.
While we won’t know for sure who the number one pick is until Commissioner Adam Silver announces it on Thursday, it does appear that Simmons will go to the 76ers and Ingram will become a Los Angeles Laker.