Lake Show Life
Fansided

NBA Draft 2016: Ben Simmons Staying Out of Olympics

By Cody Williams

Nov 16, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) dunks against the Kennesaw State Owls during the second half of a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU defeated Kennesaw State 91-69. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 16, 2015; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers forward Ben Simmons (25) dunks against the Kennesaw State Owls during the second half of a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU defeated Kennesaw State 91-69. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

Top 2016 NBA Draft Prospect Ben Simmons won’t compete in the Rio Olympics with native Australia to instead focus on professional future

If Ben Simmons falls out of the top-2 picks in the 2016 NBA Draft, it would be one of the biggest shocks in draft history. The Australian LSU product has long been touted as the can’t-miss talent in this draft class and is expected to be the top pick, though he could fall to No. 2.

However, one thing that Ben Simmons has been facing leading up to the draft and since the conclusion of his time at LSU has been the pressure to potentially compete in the Summer Olympics in Rio for his native Australia. While other top prospects like Brandon Ingram, Kris Dunn, and Jaylen Brown don’t have those same pressures, Simmons has been in a special position. That being said, it’s a position that he made clear to get himself out of this week.

On Friday, Ben Simmons and his camp confirmed through a report from The Courier-Mail in Australia that the prospect would not be playing for Australia in the Olympics. Instead, Simmons plans to focus on the draft and his NBA future and worry about international basketball further down the road in his career.

Those who have been sour on Simmons and his character—particularly those who have called him selfish given his behavior at LSU—throughout this process are surely going to look at this as another detraction from the young forward in regards to his draft stock.

What makes that seem like less of the case, though, is the simple fact that he’s simply putting himself in a position that the majority of players entering the NBA Draft find themselves in. Sure, there are European prospects playing for their countries, but players entering the draft out of United States based colleges often don’t have to worry about pressure to play in international competition during an already stressful and taxing time period. As such, can you really blame Simmons.

Next: Brandon Ingram Workout, Pre-Draft Interview (Video)

Now Ben Simmons can fully focus on the draft and all that entails. The only thing he has left to worry about now is if he’ll be heading to the Sixers or the Lakers come June 23.

Home/Lakers Draft