The LSU Tigers haven’t had the kind of prominence in the SEC, or the country, for that matter since the days of Pete Maravich, Shaquille O’Neal and former coach Dale Brown. Mired in mediocrity, in a conference dominated by the Kentucky Wildcats, the non-football team in Baton Rouge was not ‘grabbing’ headlines in NCAA basketball. That all ended this year with the emergence and appearance of one Ben Simmons.
The 6’10”, 19-year old has taken the team and the rest of the country by storm since arriving this season for the Tigers. He has been called ‘the best player in the world’, according to some former players, and is the perennial first choice in next season’s NBA draft. Many college basketball fans wonder why he chose to play for the LSU Tigers, who are certainly not the bastion of national championships in basketball, when he had the chance to play for any of the country’s powerhouse teams – Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, etc. After understanding a bit about Simmons’ background, it is no surprise that he chose to play college ball at LSU.
Simmons, the youngest of six, grew up in Melbourne, the product of an Australian mother, and New York City born father, who played basketball for a pro team in the country down under. He wasn’t always seen as the ‘star’ in his native country, and didn’t carry the moniker of being the best at his game. According to his parents, he is ‘very humble, and doesn’t see himself as the best.’ Simmons himself states, “I still think I’m a better passer. I can score when I want, but I enjoy passing the ball more. It’s one of those things where I can see a play happen before it happens. I get excited.”
Simmons seemed to start at a young age, and according to his father, he played against older kids when he was very young, and was as good or better than the older kids he faced in competitive basketball. No one, except maybe his family, envisioned the journey he was to take to the US, ending up with the unlikely choice of LSU. It appears, however, that the deal had already been consummated prior to other teams trying to lure the powerhouse freshman to their campus.
Enter David Patrick, who met Simmons’ family while playing against his father and the Melbourne team. The two men became fast friends, and Patrick ended up becoming Simmons’ godfather, as well as mentor as he grew. Patrick returned to the states, and worked for the Houston Rockets, before becoming a coach for LSU in 2012. Last season, head coach Johnny Jones promoted Patrick to Assistant Head Coach, clearly with visions of Simmons in his mind.
At the urging of Patrick, Simmons moved to the US, and enrolled at prep school, Montverde Academy in Florida, where he excelled at his game, and became a top five recruit for potential college programs, where he was getting noticed by the likes of Kansas and Duke, among others. He didn’t make any visits yet, and at the time, most programs were not allowed to engage him in any discussions to play at their programs.
Simmons felt that family came first, basketball second, and didn’t even see the LSU campus, when he called Jones and said that “I’m committing. I’m coming to school (LSU).” Since Patrick was basically his extended family in the states, it was an easy decision to go to the university where his godfather coached. He didn’t seem to care about the recruiting process, the accolades and headlines he would receive in choosing a storied basketball program, or future NBA aspirations. The decision he made to go to the Tigers was easy.
The LSU basketball program, which hasn’t been a blip on anyone’s radar since O’Neal left, has drawn half or less fans to their games, and certainly can’t compete with the big brothers on the campus – the football team. People in the south, especially the SEC conference live, eat, breathe, and do everything football, whether the season has started or not. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and LSU, are among those locales that football talk consumes the press, radio, and TV broadcasts. Basketball, and much less a good team, takes a distant back seat.
Simmons, and his uncanny ability to remain true to himself and evoke the principles that his family instilled in him, is bringing a newfound buzz to Baton Rouge. Coaches, former players, and NCAA experts have all touted his stellar ability to play both sides of the court, and find a way to transform a game. Proof of that was a week ago, when the Tigers hosted the Kentucky Wildcats, top-1o ranked, and coming off an almost flawless season last year. It turned out to be a clinic for Simmons and the rest of the lesser LSU squad.
Entering the contest, Kentucky freshman Skal Labissiere was the talk of college basketball. He was slated to be a lottery choice, perhaps even number one, but he has been a bit of a disappointment to Big Blue fans, with his lack of aggressiveness and defensive lapses. In Baton Rouge, the match-up was no contest. In the game, Simmons played only a total of 27 minutes, but finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists and a block, and the Tigers beat UK by almost 20 points. It was a stunning turn of events for a team that usually has no chance to beat the Wildcats, nor any other top-20 contender.
Some call him the next LeBron James, which is certainly an incredible compliment, coming from stars who played both in college and the pros. Simmons doesn’t seem to project any of that outward attention that the likes of the King, Durant, and others impose on the basketball court. So far, he just has gone about his business, and the rest of the NCAA can only look in wonder. The sky’s the limit for Simmons going forward. He may decided to forego the draft this year to continue his education at LSU, but that doesn’t seem likely – not with a big payday waiting for him as a top-5 choice.
Regardless of what happens this season, or with the NBA next year, don’t look for Simmons to change his demeanor on and 0ff the court. It’s refreshing to see a young athlete being grounded, saying and doing the right things, choosing family over fame, and bringing a renewed sense of pride to a school that wouldn’t have a hill of beans chance of landing someone of his caliber. This should be a good lesson for all those student-athletes who have a great gift, and want to share it with the rest of us.
Main Photo via Getty Images Sport.
