The Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Memphis Grizzlies in their preseason opener, 110-89, which is something that’s not surprising. This is a team that is on the heels of their fifth-straight losing season. There’s plenty of promise on this team, however, with lots of young talents to develop, including Ben Simmons, a 6-foot-10 guard-forward hybrid that seems to be cut from the same cloth as LeBron James in terms of having elite court vision for a big guy.
Simmons missed all of last season because of a foot injury after getting taken first overall by the Sixers in the 2016 NBA Draft, and now, he’s wasting no time showcasing the many things that made him a much sought-after talent in college and the top prospect in the NBA a year ago.
Take for example the excellent playmaking he displayed in the first quarter of the Memphis game. Simmons dished out a team-high nine dimes, including this sleek one he threw to a cutting Markelle Fultz while Simmons was penetrating towards the basket.
Ben Simmons with the nasty pass to Markelle Fultz! 👀🏀
— NBA SKITS (@NBA_Skits) October 5, 2017
It’s not at all surprising to people who’ve followed Ben Simmons ever since he played one season for the LSU Tigers. Simmons averaged 4.8 assists per game in Baton Rouge, best in the team. No wonder the Sixers are considering him to man the point guard position.
Simmons, however, needs to work on his shot after finishing with just six points on 2-for-8 shooting from the field, including 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Ben Simmons and the Sixers will look to recover this Friday as they host the Boston Celtics.
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