Where would you rank Ben Simmons among all NBA players under the age of 25? Top 10? Top 5?
Well, a new ESPN.com list ranked him 7th.
ESPN NBA writers Bobby Marks, Kevin Pelton and Mike Schmitz ranked their top 25 players under the age of 25, based on future potential.
Here is the top 10:
1. Luka Doncic
2. Zion Williamson
3. LaMelo Ball
4. Donovan Mitchell
5. Jayson Tatum
6. De’Aaron Fox
7. Ben Simmons
8. Devin Booker
9. Bam Adebayo
10. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Seems fair to me, for the most part. I think Ball is a little too high and Booker is a little too low, personally, but right in that 4-8 range feels right for Simmons.
This gives me an avenue to discuss where we are with Simmons, right now.
Currently, Simmons is struggling. He's averaging just 12.9 points per game over his last 11, since the All-Star break, and his hesitancy to shoot has—once again—created some uneasiness with fans on social media.
But this seems to be a cycle when it comes to the 24-year-old 6'10" point guard, who has been an incredibly consistent player of his four years in the NBA. The three-time All-Star and former rookie of the year has averages of 16.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.8 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks for his career, while shooting 55.8% from the field. Year over year, his numbers are essentially the same.
The polarity with Simmons locally and nationally is derived, not based on Simmons himself (we can create narratives about his work ethic, personality, etc. one way or the other to defend our stance on him), but more so based on how people view the game of basketball and how much emphasis he or she puts on scoring/shooting.
Here is Doc Rivers on Simmons after the Sixers' last game, when he was asked about Simmons' struggles offensively.
Simmons is a unique player, arguably the most unique in the game. It's extremely confusing because he is the Sixers' fourth, maybe fifth best scorer, but second best overall player, and that's a difficult concept to comprehend. His value is hard to quantify, because unlike most stars, points per game isn't a metric that well defines Simmons.
Other than averaging his "normal" 15, 8, and 7 this season, Simmons is also in contention for defensive player of the year. He is regarded by most around the league as one of the game's most versatile and best wing defenders, again a claim that is hard to quantify on paper. Rim protectors make the most impact defensively, which is highlighted by advanced metrics like defensive box-plus minus and defensive win shares, but a wing defender—someone to bother the opposing team's ball dominant top scorer on a nightly basis—is extremely valuable, yet hard to measure.
The point is, some people will never appreciate Simmons as a player because he isn't a scorer. Others have accepted who he is, and appreciate all that he does on the floor. He averages 16 points a game based on pure athleticism, which is his best attribute. At 6"10', he is one of the game's most explosive players in transition. He likes to pass the ball, rebound, and play defense and that's OK.
If you want him, or better yet need him, to average 25 per game and shoot a couple threes every night, you're going to be disappointed over and over again.