Ben Simmons - Primetime Passer

Ben Simmons. 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year. The 76ers have a history of big point guards winning the RoY award (it’s been Ben, Michael Carter-Williams in 2013-14, and Allen Iverson in 1996-97 (I say big because Iverson and his game were larger than life). The argument for many is justifiably that Ben Simmons was not a true rookie, that he essentially medically redshirted his actual freshman year in the league, and that he should be ineligible.

Precedent was on Simmons side (see Blake Griffin’s “rookie year”), so it was not an unheard of situation, but the fact is that Ben Simmons DID win the award. He did so by filling the stat sheet, 15.8 points per game, 8.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.7 steals, with 12 triple doubles (second only to Oscar Robertson for triple-doubles in their rookie year. The individual numbers, coupled with guiding Philadelphia to the fifth-best record in the league, including finishing the season with a NBA-best 16 game winning streak, and Philly’s first postseason berth since 2012 allowed him to standout in an extremely stacked field of first year players.

I’m not here to tell you anything about Ben Simmons that you don’t already know. His pace and precision passing remind some of Magic Johnson, while his presence, power, and physique draw parallels to LeBron James. Aside from rookie statistics and the historic season in that regard, Ben was only one of three players to average 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists THIS season alonside the reigning Most Valuable Player Russell Westbrook and Mr. Four-time MVP himself, LeBron James. The way he can see over defenses is already unfair, stack that with his ability to legitimately defend every position, and you have the makings of an actual nightmare to game plan against. Granted, his shooting leaves a lot to be desired (including this widespread and not unfounded idea that he is actually shooting with the wrong hand), but the way he occupies space at 6’10” (people who have seen him up-close say he’s verging on 7 feet) makes up for a lot of his deficiencies. I like to think about him like a young Jason Kidd with a LeBron-type body. He’s like the remastered Ason Kidd, feels like a newer version of someone who will be basketball royalty; if you will, a sort of Fresh Prince. I do dare say this young man is good at basketball.

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