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NBA Mock Draft 2016: Who Do the Lakers Select?

By Cody Williams

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; D'Angelo Russell (Ohio State) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number two overall pick to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; D'Angelo Russell (Ohio State) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number two overall pick to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 23, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) reacts after committing a foul in the first half of a game with the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gunnar Rathbun-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 23, 2016; Fayetteville, AR, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) reacts after committing a foul in the first half of a game with the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gunnar Rathbun-USA TODAY Sports /

Ben Simmons. 1. player. 93. . SF/PF. LSU

Though there has been a groundswell movement that LSU Tigers product Ben Simmons might not be the No. 1 overall pick, it honestly feels like a lot of words with very little merit behind them. The Australian prospect has been the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft for over a year now and I don’t think a team like the Philadelphia 76ers is in the position where they are going to change that.

When you look at why scouts and teams might be concerned about Simmons, the first thing that obviously comes to mind is the fact that he couldn’t even lead LSU to the NCAA Tournament this past year and why that was the case. Simmons often looked apathetic when on the floor for the Tigers and didn’t seem wholly interested in being a leader at the college level.

That being said, the 6-10 forward is truly gifted in so many regards as a basketball player. He can handle the ball extraordinarily well for a player his size in addition to being able to create for himself in others on the perimeter and the interior. Though his shot needs work, all of the skills are there for Simmons to unequivocally and easily be the top pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

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