The Philadelphia 76ers are "leaning heavily" toward taking LSU freshman Ben Simmons with the first overall pick, Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding reports.
The 20-year-old Australian averaged 19.2 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists as a freshman at LSU, and has connections with countryman Brett Brown. The Sixers head coach once coached Simmons' father, Dave, with the Melbourne Tigers.
That familiarity, Ding relays, could compel Philadelphia to draft Simmons, despite reports of his wavering motor that stem from his lone season in college. Despite his excellence, Simmons' Tigers missed the NCAA tournament and sat out the NIT postseason.
The Sixers will also host Brandon Ingram for a private workout, but he'll likely fall to the Los Angeles Lakers at No. 2.
Simmons' ball-handling ability, otherworldly athleticism, and NBA-ready body should allow him to thrive as a point-forward in the NBA. He skipped the draft combine, but Simmons was measured at 6-foot-10 with a 42-inch vertical in 2015, per DraftExpress.
