Simmons joins elite company in 2nd NBA outing
Only four other players in NBA history can say they've had similar starts to the one rookie Ben Simmons is having with the Philadelphia 76ers, and they're all currently immortalized in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
In Philly's 102-92 loss to the Boston Celtics Friday night, Simmons finished with a line of 11 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, and a steal in 36 minutes of action.
This makes the 21-year-old Aussie just the fifth player ever to begin their playing career with at least 10 points, 10 boards, and five assists in each of their first two games.
| Year | Player | Basketball HOF |
|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 | Ben Simmons | ??? |
| 1969-70 | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Yes |
| 1969-70 | Connie Hawkins | Yes |
| 1960-61 | Oscar Robertson | Yes |
| 1958-59 | Elgin Baylor | Yes |
(courtesy: ESPN Stats and Info)
Related: Top 3 rookie debuts from NBA's opening week
Simmons scored 18 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and dished out five assists in his team's season-opening loss to the Washington Wizards Wednesday.
He's also the 11th player in NBA history to notch consecutive double-doubles to open a campaign.
Ben Simmons starts career with back-to-back double-doubles.
— Brian Seltzer (@brianseltzer) October 21, 2017
1st player in franchise history to do so, 11th in NBA history (@bball_ref). pic.twitter.com/nIoX1ytunp
Simmons will look to continue his hot start Saturday at the Air Canada Centre when the 76ers face the Toronto Raptors.
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