Ben Simmons - if he had grown up playing footy

Tyler Hodges

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He played under 14's BBall and footy with Petracca, who said in an interview that he was getting better with each game and started playing beyond the level of the other kids his age. His athletic talents alone would have seen him be a high pick, and if any of those skills translated , which I think would have (Pendlebury and Rough are very smooth players) he would have been ridiculous.

For a bit of perspective, Simmons had a max vertical leap tested at 41.5 inches-
Nic Natanui who has the combine record had a 40.1 inch vertical. He is also 7cm taller than Nic. He also smashed the LSU agility testing record with 2.9 seconds (look up draftexpress for more information)

In short he would have been to biggest freak athlete our sport has ever seen and judging by his silky skill set, hand eye coordination and high basketball IQ, would have dominated the league, and definately made the right call going to the NBA. (He is on an estimated $6m per year as a top pick rookie, with a 20m Nike shoe deal for the next 4 years. The way he has started, Philly will most likely try to renegotiate his rookie extension for the max of roughly 140m US over 5 years)
IMG_1743.jpg
 

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i still think if the AFL were a true international game we would give the US a lot of trouble....

Buddy would be Labron James Mk II

Name an international team sport that American is dominant at?
 
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If he didn't like playing in the ruck in under 14's he might not like it in the AFL and could be one of those big soft blokes. That said he'd be so athletic you'd think he'd toughen up over time. Zac Smith was a bit soft when he started but is pretty tough now.

Of course the other option is he plays CHF with Franklin style movement and 10 extra cm's. Joe Daniher has moments in games where he's just too big and too athletic. Simmons is bigger and faster.
 

Tyler Hodges

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i still think if the AFL were a true international game we would give the US a lot of trouble....

Buddy would be Labron James Mk II

Name an international team sport that American is dominant at?
I think you don't understand how much of a physical beast LeBron james is, he is 8 cm taller than buddy, 10 kgs heavier yet much faster and stronger. I love Bud, but he becomes a small fish in a very large pond when we start talking about African American athletes.

If they had 100 years of Aussie rules history behind them, it would be a no contest :/
 

bjwilliams

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Ruckman is basically the spot where you put the unco/no good players like goalie in soccer. No wonder he was offended.

Nah ruckman is where they put the tallest player no matter what even if the kid hates it.

Had a mate who was good at footy and cause he was taller they always made him play ruck, never mind he would've been the best forward and actually stuck around playing.
 

bjwilliams

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I think you don't understand how much of a physical beast LeBron james is, he is 8 cm taller than buddy, 10 kgs heavier yet much faster and stronger. I love Bud, but he becomes a small fish in a very large pond when we start talking about African American athletes.

If they had 100 years of Aussie rules history behind them, it would be a no contest :/

He's more like 15kg's heavier. Just ridiculous how someone can be built like he is.
 

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Why would he chose afl?

Afl: $$$$$

NBA: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Also would've been a gun
 

Since 2001

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Will earn close to 500 million in salary and endorsements playing in the NBA.
Good call to play basketball.
Man he will earn more than that haha.

Salary is only going to get bigger. You have players signing 5 year 210 mil contracts already. They will only get bigger

He could get close to 1bil
 

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I think you don't understand how much of a physical beast LeBron james is, he is 8 cm taller than buddy, 10 kgs heavier yet much faster and stronger. I love Bud, but he becomes a small fish in a very large pond when we start talking about African American athletes.

If they had 100 years of Aussie rules history behind them, it would be a no contest :/

Im normally not into hyperbole concerning the athleticism, specimen, of AFL, but i really think Buddy is an exception to parochialism... He is a freak in any era, any country, this side of pluto.
 

Jables

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Simmons is a ludicrously good mover for a 208cm guy, John Wall was chasing him on a fast break in a game I watched and only outpaced him by a little bit, and he's probably the fastest NBA player, he had Avery Bradley on skates dribbling down the court and he's an amazing perimeter defender. I prefer good footy players to great athletes, but Simmons would just dominate.

Buddy is an exceptional athlete. But basically every good small forward is taller than him, and they don't lack for speed and agility at all either. Hell Nic Nat wouldn't make it if he didn't have skills, he is Kawhi Leonard size who is slightly shorter than the other elite small forwards and makes up for it with crazy length. Buddy would run them off their feet in a long race, but don't underestimate NBA athletes.
 
Im normally not into hyperbole concerning the athleticism, specimen, of AFL, but i really think Buddy is an exception to parochialism... He is a freak in any era, any country, this side of pluto.
He's a standout here but in the NBA nothing special at all.
Just like when Jarryd Hayne went to the US with a reputation here for his athleticism but was a step below most in trials with speed and agility.
 
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Im normally not into hyperbole concerning the athleticism, specimen, of AFL, but i really think Buddy is an exception to parochialism... He is a freak in any era, any country, this side of pluto.
nah he's really not. Watch some nba or NFL if you wanna see freak athletes. Faster and stronger. Von Miller, Chandler Jones, Russell Westbrook, Gronk, Marshon Lynch, Lebron, KD, Jimmy Butler, Kenneth Faried, Paul George, Julio Jones or Giannis (Greek freak).

Above is a shortlist of current day players in US Sport who are more athletic than him.. He isn't on the same planet as guys like Calvin Johnson, Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Dr J, Shaun Kemp, Scotty Pippen, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens or Deion Sanders.

Buddy would just be another guy in the US.
 

Aeglos

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I think you don't understand how much of a physical beast LeBron james is, he is 8 cm taller than buddy, 10 kgs heavier yet much faster and stronger. I love Bud, but he becomes a small fish in a very large pond when we start talking about African American athletes.

If they had 100 years of Aussie rules history behind them, it would be a no contest :/

Their spine would look something like this height wise
211cm
206cm
218cm
201cm
206cm
And all likely to be better athletically than their Australian counterparts
 
Jan 18, 2015
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Even in the NBA the experts find it hard to find a comparable player to Simmons. He's got size, skills and athleticism.

Hard to predict what he could do in footy - but his upside would be a 6 foot 10 player with the best attributes of Cyril Rioli, Patrick Dangerfield and Scott Pendlebury.
 
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i still think if the AFL were a true international game we would give the US a lot of trouble....

Buddy would be Labron James Mk II

Name an international team sport that American is dominant at?

Literally basketball, with the biggest populated country in the world holding it as their number 1 sport and one of the most popular team sports in the world

Also would argue Baseball if the USA ever pulled a complete roster on.
 
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