All eyes will be on Ben Simmons when the 76ers open the season in October, which is natural for the NBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick.
Folks will want to see if he can duplicate the passing ability he showcased in the Utah Jazz Summer League and the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. They’ll also look to see if the point forward moves better without the ball and improves his shot.
There’s a chance that fans will see some improvement in those areas, but it would be unrealistic for the 19-year-old to be on an accelerated learning programme. As good as he is, Simmons will have his share of ups and downs this season. Most rookies do.
Perhaps that’s why the Sixers are saying his next step is learning the NBA.
“It’s just everyday education,” said Sixers assistant Lloyd Pierce, who coached the NBA Summer League squad. “It’s just learning the NBA, basic timing, position, execution. I can throw out every basketball term in the book. He’s just got to learn the game.”
The 6-foot-10, 243-pounder dazzled in some areas and struggled in others during his six games in the summer leagues.
Simmons averaged 10.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.0 steal, but he also turned the ball over an average of 3.8 times. The Australian star shot just 32.2 percent from the field and missed his lone three-point attempt.
He also wasn’t active on offense when someone else had the ball. A lot of his turnovers were the result of being too loose with the ball.
“I think I played pretty well overall – a lot of learning and growing to do,” Simmons said. “But I’m looking forward to getting to Philly and start to work out.”
The Sixers, however, thought Simmons was “great” in the summer league. They didn’t really have any expectations. The team just wanted to evaluate his play and make sure he remained healthy for the season. The Sixers also wanted him to be around the coaching staff and to interact with his teammates.
“You see flashes of why he was No. 1 with his ability to pass the ball, his athleticism, his size, his aggression,” Pierce said. “So we are encouraged. I think everybody is excited. The results and the performance are not what we are looking at.”
But the Sixers are definitely going to be paying close attention to his performances come October.
After taking care of a few obligations, Simmons plans to head back to Philadelphia in a couple of weeks to work out. The former Louisiana State standout said he plans to work on “everything.”
Why everything?
“You can’t grow too much,” Simmons said.