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76ers make Ben Simmons No. 1 pick

Mike Stobe / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Philadelphia 76ers landed a potential franchise-changing piece Thursday by selecting LSU forward Ben Simmons with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Australian is one of the best athletes his size in recent memory. Absolutely lethal on the fast break, Simmons is as likely to lead the break and find the open cutter as he is to finish in transition. Simmons headed to LSU as the nation's top recruit and had one of the best statistical college seasons of all time. He became the first player since Ron Harper in 1986 to average over 19 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists per game. Not just a fast-break wizard, the 19-year-old's polished post game creates a matchup nightmare for the opposition.

However, Simmons struggled when asked to be the primary ball-handler in the half court. He lacks range as a shooter, attempting just three shots from beyond the arc his entire freshman campaign. After LSU failed to make the NCAA tournament, many questioned the Australian's competitive drive and whether he can be an "alpha dog" on an NBA team. Despite impressive steal and block numbers, lack of intensity hurts Simmons in one-on-one defensive situations.

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