Lakers Draft Prospect: Ben Simmons Has Gained ‘About 20 Pounds’ Since Leaving LSU

Ben Simmons has worn purple and gold for the majority of his basketball playing days, but the odds that he lands on the Lakers appears to grow less and less likely each day

The media has for the most part flip flopped back and forth between having Ben Simmons go first overall to the Philadelphia 76ers and Brandon Ingram second to the Lakers, and vice versa, but the one person who has stayed a loyal supporter of Simmons at number one has been draft guru, Chad Ford.

So when he revealed that if the draft was today, “I don’t think the Sixers were leaning Ingram… it would be Simmons, and it would be in a landslide,” it wasn’t a big shock.

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However, when he reported that the LSU prospect, who has been compared to LeBron James and Magic Johnson, had gained “about 20 pounds” in the two months since leaving college, that was the true headline.

"He’s been working out for two months… His body looks great, he’s put on about 20 pounds since he has been in there…the thing I walked away most impressed with was how he is approaching the process itself. Very focused, very detailed, this is his life 24/7 now […] I think when it gets to Summer League you are going to see an improved Ben Simmons."

Using the anthropometric data Ford himself provided just last week, along with his past measurements, it appears that Ford may have gotten a little too excited and exaggerated. Having followed Simmons’ offseason workouts religiously this offseason, it appears that he has gained weight, just not the 20 pounds Ford claims… but then again the camera adds how many pounds?

Recent reports have the Sixers showing interest in Kentucky prospect, Jamal Murray, with Vice President of Player Personnel Marc Eversley saying that he’s “certainly going to be one of those kids who is going to be in contention for the number one pick,” but in all honesty, it just seems like a sad attempt at a smokescreen from the Sixers’ organization.

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So, for now it appears Ben Simmons will be the first overall pick, but I guess with the Sixers, you never know.