Official #1 pick thread: Simmons or Ingram? Merging topics and a Poll

[LongLiveHinkie]

I have nothing to add other than I think Blake Griffin is incredibly overrated. Just not a fan of him as a player, never have been.

[Kobblehead]

I can't believe this is such a polarizing choice. It should be a landslide in favor of Simmons.

IF (a huge if) Brandon Ingram learns how to play defense and get some semblance of strength/mass, he can maybe be an Otto Porter / Harrison Barnes caliber of a player.

Ben Simmons can be a superstar.

6'10" 230+ pounder with plus athleticism that plays both ends of the floor and handles and distributes like a PG? Forget about it. This is the easiest choice in the world.

[HartfordWhalers]

So, this is the official mega #1 pick thread. Aka the Simmons or Ingram thread.

If you have a blistering critique of one guy, or a fawning essay in favor of the other, post it here.

[Jack Bauer]

http://www.si.com/longform/brandon-ingram-2016-nba-draft

Great SI.com article on the 11 months leading up to the rise of Brandon Ingram.

This season should have been all about Ben Simmons, he was already being hailed as the #1 pick coming out of high school, before the NCAA season even began. But by Jan-Mar, Ingram just kept getting better and better and his status just kept rising and rising. It was like Simmons the college player had already peaked, while Ingram the college player just kept getting even better and better. He has a similar trajectory as Karl Anthony-Towns. Now there is no longer a consensus who the #1 should be.

Very similar to last year how Jahlil Okafor who was the top #1 rank player dominating all the boards before even signing with Duke, until Jan-March when people started paying more attention to Towns' ascension.

[Negrodamus]

I'll say one last thing for now:

When it comes to making improvements from senior year of high school to now, who has taken the necessary steps?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR_MSoFc4iA[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAvLdfr-yZI[/youtube]

All the issues that Simmons faced coming out of high school he still faces today. Spoiler, but his weaknesses were:

-Perimeter Shooting (obviously)
-Toughness/Length (nothing you can do about length, but his toughness - especially on defense - has bothered me)
-Mentality (if this Lakers stuff is true, just more nonsense after phoning in the season)
-NBA Fit (he fits anywhere, but you have to revolve the entire team around him)

Brandon Ingram's Weaknesses:
- Strength
-Demeanor

http://dukereport.com/duke-basketball/duke-freshman-brandon-ingram-is-bulking-up-daldridge/

So he took a proactive approach to his slender body and attempted to bulk up. He used to be 170 in high school.

His demeanor is whatever. Yea, he's mellow. That hasn't stopped many great players before. At least he's open to playing anywhere.

Like I said before, I'll take either of them. I just wish Simmons didn't: a) have so many red flags to begin with and b) create new ones by stirring up trouble.

[Ericb5]

http://www.si.com/longform/brandon-ingram-2016-nba-draft

Great article on the 11 months leading up to the rise of Brandon Ingram.

This year it was all about Ben Simmons being hailed as the #1 pick before the NCAA season even began, until Jan-Mar when Ingram slowly started sharing in the spotlight inch by inch, and now it's no longer consensus who the #1 should be.

It's all similar to last year how Jahlil Okafor dominated the #1 boards since coming out of high school and before even signing with Duke, until Jan-March when people started paying more attention to Karl Anthony-Towns.

I think that the only reason that some mocks dropped Simmons from the top spot was a protest towards his behavior towards the end of the season.

He acted a bit like a prima donna there and it pissed people off.

On the court there is no reason to drop him.

I am a bit stunned that there are basketball fans here claiming that Ingram has as much or more upside than Simmons.

Some how Simmons' skills are being distilled down to being a great passer. Iverson was a great passer too, but he wasn't a facilitator. I mean he could do it if you said to him to go make the play and pass to the right person, but it wasn't part of his game naturally. He didn't want to run a team. He wanted to carry a team with his scoring. Simmons can actually run the team. That is much more than passing. He WANTS to run the team.

Regardless of what any of us want, and think hat the Sixers WILL take Simmons, and team Ingram will come around as soon as they see him start going coast to coast with his elite defensive rebounding, and elite vision.

I think we should be thinking about finding athletes that can run with him, and shooters that he can kick it to.

Just wait for the Embiid lobs too.

[Winejk]

If Philly picks Simmons, then my biggest concern is Simmons never develops an adequate enough jump shot and ends up merely being a good player. And a player, given Philly's roster that is going to cause some really tough decisions in the future.

If Philly picks Ingram, then my biggest concern is not about Ingram himself, but rather if Simmons develops a jump shot, becomes a monster and Philly missed out on the next Lebron.

So I guess to me it all boils down to Simmons development more than Ingram's development. Luckily Brett Brown is in about as good a position as anybody to have the knowledge and resources to make the determination of whether Simmons will develop. In Brett I trust.

[Winejk]

I actually think Saric will fit great in a rotation with either player- both sharing the floor and off the bench.

Saric seems like a smart player. He can do a bit of everything and seems like someone who can play in pretty much any setting.

Saric playing with either Simmons or Ingram is going to be fun to watch. Saric is versatile enough to play with either.

[James40]

The Flat Earth Society is going to make me hate Simmons as much as Russell.

It shouldn't reach the hate that Wiggins received here when he didn't come to Philly, that was hysterical. That dude was shat on nearly every game.

Neither guy is head and shoulders above the other and the Sixers are going to be a better team with either one, that said I hope we get Simmon's, lol.

[eyeatoma]

http://www.si.com/longform/brandon-ingram-2016-nba-draft

Great SI.com article on the 11 months leading up to the rise of Brandon Ingram.

This season should have been all about Ben Simmons, he was already being hailed as the #1 pick coming out of high school, before the NCAA season even began. But by Jan-Mar, Ingram just kept getting better and better and his status just kept rising and rising. It was like Simmons the college player had already peaked, while Ingram the college player just kept getting even better and better. He has a similar trajectory as Karl Anthony-Towns. Now there is no longer a consensus who the #1 should be.

Very similar to last year how Jahlil Okafor who was the top #1 rank player dominating all the boards before even signing with Duke, until Jan-March when people started paying more attention to Towns' ascension.

Posted this earlier in this thread...

[Unbreakable99]

Simmons already has star level hate. I love it. Simmons is going to be a star.

[ShirleyTemple]

In reality, it's not even a question of upside or potential. Simmons is waaay ahead. The only question is his jumpshot and can he become at least decent shooter, which would pretty much make him unstoppable offensively. His athleticism and all-around game for that size is off the charts.

He is our superstar fellas.

[Winejk]

Is dwayne Wade relevant here? He's a perimeter player that isn't a shooter, but still manages to get to the rim and free throw line enough to be a top player. He was able to win with Shaq/Odom and Lebron/Bosch.

[Agnostifarian]

Simmons is a punk kid that could use having his underwear pulled over his head. Is this a Philly Guy? Pass.

[Chamberlainship]

Regarding the poll, isn't that the kind of false dichotomy that led us to draft Turner?

The consensus is often wrong.

[Unbreakable99]

Don't worry guys. We got the number one pick in the right year. Simmons is going to be a star. We finally got it. We are fortunate. Simmons is going to bring us a championship. Embrace Simmons. We know he's the pick.

[phantom84]

Don't worry guys. We got the number one pick in the right year. Simmons is going to be a star. We finally got it. We are fortunate. Simmons is going to bring us a championship. Embrace Simmons. We know he's the pick.

Definitely, Simmons is such an obvious pick so all this Ingram talk is just white noise to me lol.

[0 - 100]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/basketball/nba/colangelo-2016-draft-different-one-2006/

fyi BC was on our local radio show this evening

[Sixteen]

I was on the Ingram train but Simmons to me has a far better chance of becoming a superstar. I'm taking Simmons

[Unbreakable99]

This sums it up pretty much. Like I said. It's not that close.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/jrodger1212/status/733410167035826177[/tweet]