Ben Simmons, the probable top pick in June's NBA Draft, is basketball's next big thing. Hoop-heads have known this for a few years, but the civilian population is just beginning to catch on with the Australian sensation now beginning his first -- and surely only -- season of college ball at LSU.
Through LSU's first six games this year, Simmons showed flashes of why scouts covet him -- but he never really put it all together and dominated. Then he blew up on Wednesday night, conjuring a monstrous performance and our first full look at why all the hype surrounding him appears quite justified.
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Simmons went off for 43 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and five steals as LSU notched a 119-108 win over North Florida. It was the outburst we've all been waiting for, and puts him right next to two giant names in Tigers history. The only two LSU players to score exactly 43 points for LSU until this week were a pair of basketball legends: Pete Maravich and Shaquille O'Neal.
This tidbit from ESPN puts Simmons' big night in even better perspective.
Ben Simmons is the only major conference player in the last 20 seasons with at least 40 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists & 5 steals in a game.— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 3, 2015
And here's a short highlight reel of Simmons' historic performance.
So just what are NBA teams drooling over in Simmons? A 6-foot-10, 240-pound power forward with point guard skills who can handle the ball, post up, slash from the wing, run the fast-break, rebound, defend and set up teammates with equal aplomb.
Simmons has only one real weakness in his game -- a suspect jumper -- but even that hasn't stopped him from becoming college basketball's frontrunner for player of the year so far. Check out his shot chart from Wednesday night for a look at where he did his scoring damage. (Hint: Not from the perimeter.)
Look at that stat line! Ben Simmons' 43 pts tonight are the most by an LSU player since Shaq also scored 43 in 1991. pic.twitter.com/tCFJySQmuN— ESPN (@espn) December 3, 2015
On one hand: Wow, he loses any scoring capability once he even thinks about leaving the paint! But on the other hand: He scored 42 points in a college basketball game without making a single three-pointer!
You can rest assured any NBA franchise will be quite fine letting Simmons figure out that jumper while he does just about everything else for their team. But the NBA Draft isn't until June. That's half a year away.
For now, Wednesday night made the message crystal clear: College basketball is Ben Simmons' world and everyone else is just living in it.