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

[Negrodamus]

And that is a brutal % to shoot at the rim. It's not going to get any easier for him in the NBA. He better put on 50lbs. When his shot isn't falling from deep he'll struggle to score his first few years.

Are you expecting us to compete for anything in the next year or two? He'll put on weight when basketball is his job and he doesn't have to attend classes anymore. Because, you know, he finished his classes and didn't drop out of school as soon as the basketball season ended.

No, not compete. Yes, I want to win more than 10 games though.

Could care less if he left school or not. Means absolutely nothing. Heck, just about every stud college football player is gone from school in the spring and working towards the combine and individual workouts.

Well actually it might come as a surprise, but it won't affect Simmons but rather LSU and their APR score.

When Daniel Orton essentially gave up on UK, he dropped out which resulted in a massive hit on the UK basketball APR score when everyone else stuck around and maintained a decent GPA. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/07/daniel-orton-apologizes-to-kentucky-fans-for-not-completing-classwork/1#.V0XgL5MrLmI

Yes, I know, who cares about LSU. We are all so blindly loving Simmons as a prospect that we will excuse just another situation where he gave up when the going got tough.

When he's coasting through next season (because we will suck) with little improvement on his jumper and will actually have to play against NBA length, then our fan base can either be pissed that he's affecting our team negatively or we take solace in knowing that Simmons will put up a few empty numbers for us. After all, who cares about (insert team here).

I'm hoping for our sake that he does improve and starts to care a little more. Hopefully that first round money doesn't make him more apathetic.

[FreesFro]

Are you expecting us to compete for anything in the next year or two? He'll put on weight when basketball is his job and he doesn't have to attend classes anymore. Because, you know, he finished his classes and didn't drop out of school as soon as the basketball season ended.

No, not compete. Yes, I want to win more than 10 games though.

Could care less if he left school or not. Means absolutely nothing. Heck, just about every stud college football player is gone from school in the spring and working towards the combine and individual workouts.

Well actually it might come as a surprise, but it won't affect Simmons but rather LSU and their APR score.

When Daniel Orton essentially gave up on UK, he dropped out which resulted in a massive hit on the UK basketball APR score when everyone else stuck around and maintained a decent GPA. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/07/daniel-orton-apologizes-to-kentucky-fans-for-not-completing-classwork/1#.V0XgL5MrLmI

Yes, I know, who cares about LSU. We are all so blindly loving Simmons as a prospect that we will excuse just another situation where he gave up when the going got tough.

When he's coasting through next season (because we will suck) with little improvement on his jumper and will actually have to play against NBA length, then our fan base can either be pissed that he's affecting our team negatively or we take solace in knowing that Simmons will put up a few empty numbers for us. After all, who cares about (insert team here).

I'm hoping for our sake that he does improve and starts to care a little more. Hopefully that first round money doesn't make him more apathetic.

Ugh. You know for a fact Ben Simmons doesn't care about basketball, or improving as a basketball player, or care about whatever you are insinuating he doesn't care about? You know he'll "coast" through next season? You know he'll show no improvement on his jumper? "More apathetic"? What a joke. All speculation and conjecture on your part and bad all the way around.

Tear down the other guy to make my guy look good. So what does "Team Ingram" do on this board next season when Simmons is a Sixer? Should be annoying as ever.

[Agnostifarian]

Are you expecting us to compete for anything in the next year or two? He'll put on weight when basketball is his job and he doesn't have to attend classes anymore. Because, you know, he finished his classes and didn't drop out of school as soon as the basketball season ended.

No, not compete. Yes, I want to win more than 10 games though.

Could care less if he left school or not. Means absolutely nothing. Heck, just about every stud college football player is gone from school in the spring and working towards the combine and individual workouts.

Well actually it might come as a surprise, but it won't affect Simmons but rather LSU and their APR score.

When Daniel Orton essentially gave up on UK, he dropped out which resulted in a massive hit on the UK basketball APR score when everyone else stuck around and maintained a decent GPA. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/07/daniel-orton-apologizes-to-kentucky-fans-for-not-completing-classwork/1#.V0XgL5MrLmI

Yes, I know, who cares about LSU. We are all so blindly loving Simmons as a prospect that we will excuse just another situation where he gave up when the going got tough.

When he's coasting through next season (because we will suck) with little improvement on his jumper and will actually have to play against NBA length, then our fan base can either be pissed that he's affecting our team negatively or we take solace in knowing that Simmons will put up a few empty numbers for us. After all, who cares about (insert team here).

I'm hoping for our sake that he does improve and starts to care a little more. Hopefully that first round money doesn't make him more apathetic.

I hear your angst. I have little reason to be optimistic about the Colangelos. However, from what I've heard, Dad & Lad have very little tolerance for knuckleheads. If Ben Simmons comes to Philly and acts like a bitch, it will get bad fast.

[Negrodamus]

No, not compete. Yes, I want to win more than 10 games though.

Could care less if he left school or not. Means absolutely nothing. Heck, just about every stud college football player is gone from school in the spring and working towards the combine and individual workouts.

Well actually it might come as a surprise, but it won't affect Simmons but rather LSU and their APR score.

When Daniel Orton essentially gave up on UK, he dropped out which resulted in a massive hit on the UK basketball APR score when everyone else stuck around and maintained a decent GPA. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/07/daniel-orton-apologizes-to-kentucky-fans-for-not-completing-classwork/1#.V0XgL5MrLmI

Yes, I know, who cares about LSU. We are all so blindly loving Simmons as a prospect that we will excuse just another situation where he gave up when the going got tough.

When he's coasting through next season (because we will suck) with little improvement on his jumper and will actually have to play against NBA length, then our fan base can either be pissed that he's affecting our team negatively or we take solace in knowing that Simmons will put up a few empty numbers for us. After all, who cares about (insert team here).

I'm hoping for our sake that he does improve and starts to care a little more. Hopefully that first round money doesn't make him more apathetic.

Ugh. You know for a fact Ben Simmons doesn't care about basketball, or improving as a basketball player, or care about whatever you are insinuating he doesn't care about? You know he'll "coast" through next season? You know he'll show no improvement on his jumper? "More apathetic"? What a joke. All speculation and conjecture on your part and bad all the way around.

Tear down the other guy to make my guy look good. So what does "Team Ingram" do on this board next season when Simmons is a Sixer? Should be annoying as ever.

Actually, I've been posting pro articles about Simmons all week which people, for some reason, use against me in arguing Ingram vs Simmons.

I'm not saying that he will do, or not do, these things definitely, but history does have a way of repeating itself. And everything we say here is speculation.

You just don't like that Simmons has mounted a case against himself and I'm presenting his blemishes. I take any criticism of Ingram into account. Yes, his FT shooting is an issue, however someone brought up how he was struggling with the adjustment of playing on the college stage and that affecting his FT shooting (a very mental part of basketball). I know he's had some miserable shooting games and that Louisville game was truly awful. He does need to gain weight and be more explosive. He didn't put up gaudy numbers like Simmons. None of this is news to me. He's still 6'9 with a 7'3.5 wingspan, has a good handle, gives great effort on both sides, and, yes, he can shoot.

He's not a finished product, but neither is Simmons. It's the off the court situations that scare me with Simmons and his propensity to improve on parts of the game he's struggling with.

[Agnostifarian]

No, not compete. Yes, I want to win more than 10 games though.

Could care less if he left school or not. Means absolutely nothing. Heck, just about every stud college football player is gone from school in the spring and working towards the combine and individual workouts.

Well actually it might come as a surprise, but it won't affect Simmons but rather LSU and their APR score.

When Daniel Orton essentially gave up on UK, he dropped out which resulted in a massive hit on the UK basketball APR score when everyone else stuck around and maintained a decent GPA. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/07/daniel-orton-apologizes-to-kentucky-fans-for-not-completing-classwork/1#.V0XgL5MrLmI

Yes, I know, who cares about LSU. We are all so blindly loving Simmons as a prospect that we will excuse just another situation where he gave up when the going got tough.

When he's coasting through next season (because we will suck) with little improvement on his jumper and will actually have to play against NBA length, then our fan base can either be pissed that he's affecting our team negatively or we take solace in knowing that Simmons will put up a few empty numbers for us. After all, who cares about (insert team here).

I'm hoping for our sake that he does improve and starts to care a little more. Hopefully that first round money doesn't make him more apathetic.

Ugh. You know for a fact Ben Simmons doesn't care about basketball, or improving as a basketball player, or care about whatever you are insinuating he doesn't care about? You know he'll "coast" through next season? You know he'll show no improvement on his jumper? "More apathetic"? What a joke. All speculation and conjecture on your part and bad all the way around.

Tear down the other guy to make my guy look good. So what does "Team Ingram" do on this board next season when Simmons is a Sixer? Should be annoying as ever.

Let's not make Simmons out to be the victim here. He brought all these questions upon himself. Playing in Philly will be much more difficult than Louisiana. So far, Ben has been "successful" despite his antics.

I suspect that the people fawning over Simmons are the same group that loved Russell and his hollow stats. At least Simmons is an NBA athlete.

[FreesFro]

OK, you guys. Then rattle all the off court issues and other things that "Simmons" has brought on himself that you know are facts. Not the negative BS speculation that people are throwing out there and people are running with as fact.

I've seen it before. Put guy on pedestal, prop him up awhile, out him under the microscope and then take joy in tearing him down. It's the American way. Ugh.

[FreesFro]

OK, you guys. Then rattle all the off court issues and other things that Simmons has "brought on himself" that you know are facts. Not the negative BS speculation that people are throwing out there and people are running with as fact.
I've seen it before. Put guy on pedestal, prop him up awhile, out him under the microscope and then take joy in tearing him down. It's the American way. Ugh.

[FreesFro]

OK, you guys. Then rattle all the off court issues and other things that Simmons has "brought on himself" that you know are facts. Not the negative BS speculation that people are throwing out there and people are running with as fact.
I've seen it before. Put guy on pedestal, prop him up awhile, out him under the microscope and then take joy in tearing him down. It's the American way. Ugh.

[Sundown]

Let's not make Simmons out to be the victim here. He brought all these questions upon himself. Playing in Philly will be much more difficult than Louisiana. So far, Ben has been "successful" despite his antics.

I suspect that the people fawning over Simmons are the same group that loved Russell and his hollow stats. At least Simmons is an NBA athlete.

Funny, but the Russell group feels way closer to the Ingram group IMO. Both had great college shooting stats, but any time there is a concern that a college athlete might need to be more explosive, I worry about a cut and paste projection to the NBA.

[CoreyGallagher]

Russell as opposed to who? Mudiay?

[Agnostifarian]

Let's not make Simmons out to be the victim here. He brought all these questions upon himself. Playing in Philly will be much more difficult than Louisiana. So far, Ben has been "successful" despite his antics.

I suspect that the people fawning over Simmons are the same group that loved Russell and his hollow stats. At least Simmons is an NBA athlete.

Funny, but the Russell group feels way closer to the Ingram group IMO. Both had great college shooting stats, but any time there is a concern that a college athlete might need to be more explosive, I worry about a cut and paste projection to the NBA.[/quote]

I'm not sure what you mean.

[Sundown]

Let's not make Simmons out to be the victim here. He brought all these questions upon himself. Playing in Philly will be much more difficult than Louisiana. So far, Ben has been "successful" despite his antics.

I suspect that the people fawning over Simmons are the same group that loved Russell and his hollow stats. At least Simmons is an NBA athlete.

Funny, but the Russell group feels way closer to the Ingram group IMO. Both had great college shooting stats, but any time there is a concern that a college athlete might need to be more explosive, I worry about a cut and paste projection to the NBA.[/quote]

I'm not sure what you mean.

I thought you were implying that people that loved Russell's stats last year are the same people who love Simmons (and his stats) this year. Well, the knock on Russell was questionable athleticism. That's what the scouts worried could keep him from replicating his college success. There is no such knock against Simmons this year. In fact it's Ingram who some say might lack a dynamic first step, who might not be able to get to the rim and finish at the NBA level. So I feel like Ingram is closer to this year's Russell than Simmons is.

[Snotbubbles]

Are you expecting us to compete for anything in the next year or two? He'll put on weight when basketball is his job and he doesn't have to attend classes anymore. Because, you know, he finished his classes and didn't drop out of school as soon as the basketball season ended.

No, not compete. Yes, I want to win more than 10 games though.

Could care less if he left school or not. Means absolutely nothing. Heck, just about every stud college football player is gone from school in the spring and working towards the combine and individual workouts.

Well actually it might come as a surprise, but it won't affect Simmons but rather LSU and their APR score.

When Daniel Orton essentially gave up on UK, he dropped out which resulted in a massive hit on the UK basketball APR score when everyone else stuck around and maintained a decent GPA. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/07/daniel-orton-apologizes-to-kentucky-fans-for-not-completing-classwork/1#.V0XgL5MrLmI

Yes, I know, who cares about LSU. We are all so blindly loving Simmons as a prospect that we will excuse just another situation where he gave up when the going got tough.

When he's coasting through next season (because we will suck) with little improvement on his jumper and will actually have to play against NBA length, then our fan base can either be pissed that he's affecting our team negatively or we take solace in knowing that Simmons will put up a few empty numbers for us. After all, who cares about (insert team here).

I'm hoping for our sake that he does improve and starts to care a little more. Hopefully that first round money doesn't make him more apathetic.

I don't really care if Simmons dropped out of school. To me, it seems like a by-product of forcing kids to go to school for a year rather than allow them to turn pro. Not everybody is college material, but the NCAA sure loves to profit off these guys.

[Negrodamus]

OK, you guys. Then rattle all the off court issues and other things that "Simmons" has brought on himself that you know are facts. Not the negative BS speculation that people are throwing out there and people are running with as fact.

I've seen it before. Put guy on pedestal, prop him up awhile, out him under the microscope and then take joy in tearing him down. It's the American way. Ugh.

Yea, I'm not going to hunt down articles for you. They are all in this thread.

And if you're expecting me to feel bad for a guy on the cusp of being a multimillionaire for playing the game of basketball, then you're mistaken. Especially because he's going to my favorite team and the only sensible thing a team could do is put his risks under a microscope, appreciate his assets, and weigh if it's all worth it.

If he is truly hurt over criticisms of him, then he definitely shouldn't be the number 1 pick.

[Negrodamus]

No, not compete. Yes, I want to win more than 10 games though.

Could care less if he left school or not. Means absolutely nothing. Heck, just about every stud college football player is gone from school in the spring and working towards the combine and individual workouts.

Well actually it might come as a surprise, but it won't affect Simmons but rather LSU and their APR score.

When Daniel Orton essentially gave up on UK, he dropped out which resulted in a massive hit on the UK basketball APR score when everyone else stuck around and maintained a decent GPA. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/07/daniel-orton-apologizes-to-kentucky-fans-for-not-completing-classwork/1#.V0XgL5MrLmI

Yes, I know, who cares about LSU. We are all so blindly loving Simmons as a prospect that we will excuse just another situation where he gave up when the going got tough.

When he's coasting through next season (because we will suck) with little improvement on his jumper and will actually have to play against NBA length, then our fan base can either be pissed that he's affecting our team negatively or we take solace in knowing that Simmons will put up a few empty numbers for us. After all, who cares about (insert team here).

I'm hoping for our sake that he does improve and starts to care a little more. Hopefully that first round money doesn't make him more apathetic.

I don't really care if Simmons dropped out of school. To me, it seems like a by-product of forcing kids to go to school for a year rather than allow them to turn pro. Not everybody is college material, but the NCAA sure loves to profit off these guys.

I'm not talking about the NCAA. I'm talking about how a 0.0 GPA could hurt LSU's APR which could result in losing scholarship(s). So the team that brought him in, housed him, fed him, gave him a free education could be in a little trouble because he decided that it wasn't worth it to wait till the end of the semester. I get it, he's looking out for himself. It's something that can be marginalized, but I don't think it's nothing.

[Ericb5]

No, not compete. Yes, I want to win more than 10 games though.

Could care less if he left school or not. Means absolutely nothing. Heck, just about every stud college football player is gone from school in the spring and working towards the combine and individual workouts.

Well actually it might come as a surprise, but it won't affect Simmons but rather LSU and their APR score.

When Daniel Orton essentially gave up on UK, he dropped out which resulted in a massive hit on the UK basketball APR score when everyone else stuck around and maintained a decent GPA. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/07/daniel-orton-apologizes-to-kentucky-fans-for-not-completing-classwork/1#.V0XgL5MrLmI

Yes, I know, who cares about LSU. We are all so blindly loving Simmons as a prospect that we will excuse just another situation where he gave up when the going got tough.

When he's coasting through next season (because we will suck) with little improvement on his jumper and will actually have to play against NBA length, then our fan base can either be pissed that he's affecting our team negatively or we take solace in knowing that Simmons will put up a few empty numbers for us. After all, who cares about (insert team here).

I'm hoping for our sake that he does improve and starts to care a little more. Hopefully that first round money doesn't make him more apathetic.

I don't really care if Simmons dropped out of school. To me, it seems like a by-product of forcing kids to go to school for a year rather than allow them to turn pro. Not everybody is college material, but the NCAA sure loves to profit off these guys.

I don't really care about this kind of stuff either. I mean I DO as a person, but not as a fan. If, and when, the Sixers draft Simmons they will be doing it knowing him probably as much as any organization ever knows a prospect off the court.

Since Brett Brown has known him since he was born, I'm sure that he is an authority on the kid's personality and make up. Behind the scenes, I can imagine Brett being asked his opinion on the kid, and I expect that he would be frank. He would either say, that he isn't worth it, and I wouldn't touch him(if he were a Manziel level problem), or he would say that he has no concerns about him.

If Brett Brown says that he isn't concerned, then we shouldn't be either.

[Ericb5]

Well actually it might come as a surprise, but it won't affect Simmons but rather LSU and their APR score.

When Daniel Orton essentially gave up on UK, he dropped out which resulted in a massive hit on the UK basketball APR score when everyone else stuck around and maintained a decent GPA. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2010/07/daniel-orton-apologizes-to-kentucky-fans-for-not-completing-classwork/1#.V0XgL5MrLmI

Yes, I know, who cares about LSU. We are all so blindly loving Simmons as a prospect that we will excuse just another situation where he gave up when the going got tough.

When he's coasting through next season (because we will suck) with little improvement on his jumper and will actually have to play against NBA length, then our fan base can either be pissed that he's affecting our team negatively or we take solace in knowing that Simmons will put up a few empty numbers for us. After all, who cares about (insert team here).

I'm hoping for our sake that he does improve and starts to care a little more. Hopefully that first round money doesn't make him more apathetic.

I don't really care if Simmons dropped out of school. To me, it seems like a by-product of forcing kids to go to school for a year rather than allow them to turn pro. Not everybody is college material, but the NCAA sure loves to profit off these guys.

I'm not talking about the NCAA. I'm talking about how a 0.0 GPA could hurt LSU's APR which could result in losing scholarship(s). So the team that brought him in, housed him, fed him, gave him a free education could be in a little trouble because he decided that it wasn't worth it to wait till the end of the semester. I get it, he's looking out for himself. It's something that can be marginalized, but I don't think it's nothing.

Who knows though? Maybe he was absolutely disgusted by the program, and how they handled things and didn't care about this. We really don't know.

I am very used to rooting for sports heroes that are bad guys, or being fans of musicians that are complete idiots. How about someone like Adrian Peterson with multiple baby mama's, beating kids, having one of his kids beaten to death that he had hardly even met before, let alone been there to protect the kid? Does that change how you root for him as a football player?

How about a Musician that you love the music from spouting off about BS political statements that you are completely against? Does that keep you from listening to the songs?

An actor like Tom Cruise who pretty much seems like a crazy person, doesn't keep me from liking his movies.

Who these guys are off the field is really irrelevant until it affects their play, within reason at least.

[Negrodamus]

I don't really care if Simmons dropped out of school. To me, it seems like a by-product of forcing kids to go to school for a year rather than allow them to turn pro. Not everybody is college material, but the NCAA sure loves to profit off these guys.

I'm not talking about the NCAA. I'm talking about how a 0.0 GPA could hurt LSU's APR which could result in losing scholarship(s). So the team that brought him in, housed him, fed him, gave him a free education could be in a little trouble because he decided that it wasn't worth it to wait till the end of the semester. I get it, he's looking out for himself. It's something that can be marginalized, but I don't think it's nothing.

Who knows though? Maybe he was absolutely disgusted by the program, and how they handled things and didn't care about this. We really don't know.

I am very used to rooting for sports heroes that are bad guys, or being fans of musicians that are complete idiots. How about someone like Adrian Peterson with multiple baby mama's, beating kids, having one of his kids beaten to death that he had hardly even met before, let alone been there to protect the kid? Does that change how you root for him as a football player?

How about a Musician that you love the music from spouting off about BS political statements that you are completely against? Does that keep you from listening to the songs?

An actor like Tom Cruise who pretty much seems like a crazy person, doesn't keep me from liking his movies.

Who these guys are off the field is really irrelevant until it affects their play, within reason at least.

Trust me, you're preaching to the choir on this front. If Ben Simmons is running a ponzi scheme on the side while averaging a triple double for the Sixers, I won't care*. However, at the moment, he's a prospect so we are projecting what he could become. He dropped out of college after he "got his". The second his behavior affects the team is when I care. I'm certainly not cheering for these guys as people (although it is nice when they are a good person).

*Unless he gets caught or I'm involved.

[FreesFro]

OK, you guys. Then rattle all the off court issues and other things that "Simmons" has brought on himself that you know are facts. Not the negative BS speculation that people are throwing out there and people are running with as fact.

I've seen it before. Put guy on pedestal, prop him up awhile, out him under the microscope and then take joy in tearing him down. It's the American way. Ugh.

Yea, I'm not going to hunt down articles for you. They are all in this thread.

And if you're expecting me to feel bad for a guy on the cusp of being a multimillionaire for playing the game of basketball, then you're mistaken. Especially because he's going to my favorite team and the only sensible thing a team could do is put his risks under a microscope, appreciate his assets, and weigh if it's all worth it.

If he is truly hurt over criticisms of him, then he definitely shouldn't be the number 1 pick.

What are you talking about? Who said or implied we have to feel bad for anyone? Who said Ben Simmons is hurt over any criticism?

[FreesFro]

I'm not talking about the NCAA. I'm talking about how a 0.0 GPA could hurt LSU's APR which could result in losing scholarship(s). So the team that brought him in, housed him, fed him, gave him a free education could be in a little trouble because he decided that it wasn't worth it to wait till the end of the semester. I get it, he's looking out for himself. It's something that can be marginalized, but I don't think it's nothing.

Who knows though? Maybe he was absolutely disgusted by the program, and how they handled things and didn't care about this. We really don't know.

I am very used to rooting for sports heroes that are bad guys, or being fans of musicians that are complete idiots. How about someone like Adrian Peterson with multiple baby mama's, beating kids, having one of his kids beaten to death that he had hardly even met before, let alone been there to protect the kid? Does that change how you root for him as a football player?

How about a Musician that you love the music from spouting off about BS political statements that you are completely against? Does that keep you from listening to the songs?

An actor like Tom Cruise who pretty much seems like a crazy person, doesn't keep me from liking his movies.

Who these guys are off the field is really irrelevant until it affects their play, within reason at least.

Trust me, you're preaching to the choir on this front. If Ben Simmons is running a ponzi scheme on the side while averaging a triple double for the Sixers, I won't care*. However, at the moment, he's a prospect so we are projecting what he could become. He dropped out of college after he "got his". The second his behavior affects the team is when I care. I'm certainly not cheering for these guys as people (although it is nice when they are a good person).

*Unless he gets caught or I'm involved.

Are you saying Ben Simmons is not a good person? As I mentioned before hundreds of guys in both football and basketball finish their season and are done with school and focus on the combine and work outs. Why are you shocked?

The NCAA and the Universities make hundreds of millions of dollars off these guys. Screw them.