Scouting Ben Simmons

Simmons elite vision and passing ability are a deadly combination out of the post, where he is able to use his large frame to find open teammates and passing lanes that smaller players would not see and typical big men cannot take advantage of:

From Defense to Offense: Leading the Fast Break

Simmons averaged an impressive 11.9 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 0.8 blocks per game. These numbers showcase Simmons anticipation and awareness. And his ability to contribute in a number of ways beyond just putting up points are one of the chief reasons he is such an elite prospect.

These skills also enabled Simmons to get out and run, where he is virtually a one-man fast break.  Per Synergy Sports, 26% of Simmons offense came in transition last year:

Which makes Simmons an ideal fit for Brett Brown's offense, which is predicated on playing at a breakneck speed. As Brown told the now defunct Grantland.com (tear), he wants the Sixers to run "what I hope is the fastest pace you’ve ever run at."

According to John Hollinger's Pace metric, Brown has held true to his word. The Sixers ran the fastest pace offense in the NBA in 2013 and the sixth fastest pace in 2014 and 2015. That Brown and the Sixers were able to accomplish that feat without a legitimate NBA point guard is all the more impressive.

 Brown must be salivating at the prospects of having Simmons spearhead the charge. Simmons puts enormous pressure on defenses in transition, forcing defenders into impossible split second decisions. Lay off for a moment and he gets to the rack for an easy score; crash to provide help and Simmons will create an open look for a teammate:

Space Generator

In the modern NBA, floor spacing is paramount. Many have rightfully noted that Simmons limits floor spacing on offense because he can't shoot. But shooting is only one way in which a player can generate floor spacing. Another way to generate space is by driving into the lane, forcing the defense to collapse, and kicking out to your teammate for an open look.

Simmons has this skill in spades:

Just stop for a second. That's five defenders (red) collapsing on Simmons (yellow, center) as he drives to the center of the lane.

Simmons generated a wide-open corner three for his teammate, but he had another teammate wide open as well (bottom corner, circled in yellow).

Sure, you can chalk part of this up to bad defense from North Florida (my alma mater, so be gentle with the hate). Maybe five defenders was excessive. But even good defenses were forced to bring help against Simmons:

That's three UF defenders collapsing on Simmons in the post, which immediately creates open looks for two teammates spotted up at the three point line.

Simmons is uniquely qualified to manufacture space for his teammates while driving to the rim and posting up on the block. This should minimize spacing problems created by his lack of a consistent jump shot, at least initially.

Athleticism and Handle

Speaking of Simmons' athleticism and handle…

I have mentioned Simmons height and weight about 16 times already — did you know he was 6'10, 240 lbs? But it was by design. The consistency with which Simmons pulls off plays like this have caused us to become numb to how special these plays are.

Think of it this way: how many other big men in the NBA posses this handle, athleticism and body control? Can you name any? More than 5?

Simmons elite athleticism was on full display at LSU's combine before the start of last season, where he posted an impressive 41 inch running vertical:

Ben Simmons with the 41 inch vertical… Not bad pic.twitter.com/8FHtG1St1w

— Olgun Uluc (@OlgunUluc) July 22, 2015

Zach LaVine, who jumped through the roof during last year's NBA slam dunk competition, had a 41.5 inch running vertical in 2014, but Simmons is 5 inches taller than LaVine.

Simmons is able to use his athleticism and size to get to the rim at will. And while Simmons needs to improve finishing around the rim, he mitigates that issue by drawing an impressive 9.8 free throw attempts per 40 minutes, according to DraftExpress.com.

Weaknesses: Shot, Defensive Intensity, Length and Questionable Attitude

I already spent 2,000 words breaking down Ben Simmons' shot and why I believe his issues are correctable, so I am not going to beat a dead horse here. But it bears repeating that at the moment, Simmons is a poor shooter. Until he improves, his ceiling as an NBA prospect will be limited. As I said last week, it is the single biggest factor that will determine how special Simmons becomes.

On defense, Simmons versatility is apparent; he  has the ability to defend multiple positions. And when Simmons is cued in, he has the ability to be a lock down defender:

Jay Bilas on Simmons at Nike Pro Camp: played against prospects we are talking about now; he played PG & guarded PGs and no one got by him.

— ArmChairScout (@pcausey3) May 18, 2016

But there were too many times last year where Simmons effort on the defensive side of the ball left something to be desired. Often times, Simmons failed to get low in his defensive stance, allowing smaller players to get by him with ease. Other times, Simmons showed little interest in rotating defensively. We can't brush these issues off as a young player losing interest because he played for a bad team. Effort is hard to teach. And if Simmons is only half-interested in playing defense, he won't be a great player. (Hello, Carmelo Anthony).

Simmons length ties into the defensive concerns. While he is 6'10, he has only a 7'0.25 wingspan, which is abnormally small for a player his size. According to Josh Levin at Slate.com (who determined the number via data from DraftExpress.com), the average NBA prospect is 4.4 inches longer than he is tall. Simmons length bests his height by only 2.0'25 inches (3.0'25 inches if you consider his height without shoes). Brandon Ingram is 6'9 but has a 7'3 wingspan. Kawhi Leonard –who is a freak of nature in this regard– is only 6'7, but also has a 7'3 wingspan.

We aren't making a mountain out of a mole hill here. This is the NBA. The margins matter. While Simmons will be able to take advantage of smaller defenders by virtue of his size, he could struggle to get his shot off against lengthier defenders. Given that he is already a poor shooter, the lack of length becomes magnified.

It also creates issues on the defensive side of the ball. David Epstein, who wrote the terrific book, The Sports Gene, notes that length instead of height is a better predictor of a player's shot blocking prowess. While Simmons averaged almost 1 block per game, that was against college players. NBA players are longer and better athletes, so we shouldn't be surprised if he is a less proficient shot blocker in the big leagues.

The last issue has to do with Simmons attitude. In absolutely scathing take down, Jonathan Givony of The Vertical, raised some of these concerns:

The concerns about Simmons’ character didn’t magically appear the moment he arrived on campus in Baton Rouge. Those sentiments also have been expressed by members of the Australian national team who have spent time with him at the junior and senior levels. Australian players and coaches who have been around him don’t speak about him in flattering terms, calling him “the Yank” to highlight how different he is compared with most of the players from that country, and perhaps highlight how much moving to the United States at a young age and immersing himself in the AAU world has shaped him.

Those who know him best say he needs things to revolve around him on and off the court and that he's often been close-minded to coaching or instruction. Can all this be blamed on LSU? Check out the “mentality” section of Simmons’ “weaknesses” breakdown.

I'm not as concerned about Simmons needing an offense to revolve around him or being called a prima donna. The same things were said about LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. But I am concerned about reports that question Simmons effort. Talent takes you only so far in the NBA. MJ, Kobe, LeBron, etc.  obsessed over becoming better. If Simmons doesn't have that same drive, he won't reach his max potential.

Conclusion

I've dedicated an abnormally large amount of time (and words) breaking down Simmons game. Probably too much. But I'd rather err on providing more information than less. It is the only way to develop a key understanding of what type of player Simmons can become.

While Simmons is by no means a perfect prospect — no one is — he is special. Like Will Hunting and Mozart, he "can just play." And the Sixers are lucky as hell to have the chance to draft him.

So I'll end with something to help keep in perspective the reports you see that rip Simmons to shreds for not being a perfect prospect. Credit to Chad Ford for finding it: "Here was Charley Rosen's take on LeBron James on ESPN.com before the 2003 draft.

"[W]hat about his poor shooting percentage (40 percent)? He didn't make a jumper until later in the third quarter and then celebrated by banging his fist into his chest.

"Yes, James has good hands, quick feet, extraordinary hops, and a lively body. Yes, he's also an outstanding passer. But his defense is atrocious. … He always looks for the easy way out, making perfunctory swipes at the ball, and gambling on every entry pass.

"In high school, LeBron James might be a man among boys — but in the NBA, he'll be a boy among men. Skilled, experienced, powerful, and above all, ruthless men."

"A note to long-suffering Cavaliers' fans: Don't get caught in the LeBron James pipe dream. The best King James can ever be is an average NBA player.

Sound familiar? "