Ben Simmons - if he had grown up playing footy

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Was/is he a gifted footballer though? It’s one thing to say he’s got skills and athleticism, but it’s those players who seemingly slow the world down when they have the ball and seem to have space in frantic contests, that are really set apart from the pack. He could very well have that, but a few junior seasons can’t tell you that. If he doesn’t have that, his physical attributes cover it up heaps at a junior level (it’s pretty easy to find time if you’re too big to tackle). Did anyone see him play?
 

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Was/is he a gifted footballer though? It’s one thing to say he’s got skills and athleticism, but it’s those players who seemingly slow the world down when they have the ball and seem to have space in frantic contests, that are really set apart from the pack. He could very well have that, but a few junior seasons can’t tell you that. If he doesn’t have that, his physical attributes cover it up heaps at a junior level (it’s pretty easy to find time if you’re too big to tackle). Did anyone see him play?
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/basketb...riend-christian-petracca-20160618-gpmaut.html

Probably as close as anyone will get unfortunately.
 
Simmons makes Buddy look like Lance Whitnell in the athletic stakes.

He's only like an 1" shorter than Sandilands and is definately faster over 20m than Franklin. Speed wise, he's already being labled as one of the bigger freaks athletically in recent times in the NBA

Building into his frame, will end up around the 110kg mark.

The only bloke comparable to him would be Naitanui, even then, Ben would absolutely maul him as he's over 3" taller than him and even more athletic.
 
Lacks a jump shot
Giannis does to and if he keeps his current level up he could win the MVP.

Ben shoots the 18 footer when he's confident, eventually that could definitely become a 3 pointer.

His vision is already elite which isn't something you can teach
 
320 million odd Americans v 25 million odd Australians.

Only our very very best are ever going to have even a slight chance of making it over there.

Simmons is a freak. Considering his freak athleticism and build, his work-ethic, his composure, his mental game, and his hand-eye coordination, the only possible question mark on him would be would he relish the physicality of AFL enough? Even then, you'd think by the time he reached his late teens he'd be very much used to it had he continued playing, and basketball isn't immune from hits (although it is still quite a few steps below AFL in terms of physicality). Had he chosen AFL - his basketball ability tells me he would have ended up with decent skills, the endurance required to play, the ability to do ridiculous Cyril-like s**t vision and hand-eye coordination wise, but as a 208cm player, all while jumping over opponents and burning them off.
 
I'm huge basketball fan but I think the standard of NBA talent (Australian rules also) is extremely overrated compared to a sport like soccer. An American born 7ft is something like a 1 in 10 chance of playing NBA and if you are born over 6'6 you are something like a 1 in 100 chance of playing NBA. Considering most players are of that height that's a bloody tiny talent pool and it is pretty much just a sport revolving on height.
Also Simmons is closer to 205cm not 208cn because they measure the players in shoes
 
Simmons makes Buddy look like Lance Whitnell in the athletic stakes.

He's only like an 1" shorter than Sandilands and is definately faster over 20m than Franklin. Speed wise, he's already being labled as one of the bigger freaks athletically in recent times in the NBA

Building into his frame, will end up around the 110kg mark.

The only bloke comparable to him would be Naitanui, even then, Ben would absolutely maul him as he's over 3" taller than him and even more athletic.

NBA players aren't built for endurance though so its not exactly comparing apples with apples and NBA players are all on gear.

You bulk up Naitanui as more of a power athelete and let him take gear (or more gear depending on how sceptical you're on the AFL being clean) the gap between he and Simmons wouldn't be as wide as you make out.

That being said Simmons was no where near ever choosing AFL. His father was American and had him moving around different representative basketball teams making sure he played the majority of his basketball as a guard despite being the biggest kid on the court.
 
Giannis does to and if he keeps his current level up he could win the MVP.

Ben shoots the 18 footer when he's confident, eventually that could definitely become a 3 pointer.

His vision is already elite which isn't something you can teach

Wouldn't say that Giannis lacks a jump shot. It's not a strength of his sure, but at this stage his J is way, way, way more developed and consistent than Simmons'.
 

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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 :/

They train for a specific athletic requirement lets see how much power and speed drops off when they have to meet an AFL players endurance level. I think they would fall inline with Franklin. Oh and a lot harder to get on the roids in our sport compared to the NFL and NBA.
 
NBA players aren't built for endurance though so its not exactly comparing apples with apples and NBA players are all on gear.

You bulk up Naitanui as more of a power athelete and let him take gear (or more gear depending on how sceptical you're on the AFL being clean) the gap between he and Simmons wouldn't be as wide as you make out.

That being said Simmons was no where near ever choosing AFL. His father was American and had him moving around different representative basketball teams making sure he played the majority of his basketball as a guard despite being the biggest kid on the court.

We have a winner.
 
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.

Get them off the gear and have them running 16km+ every week and lets see how they fair "athletically", they will certainly have some freaks given a population of 360 mil but it would be a lot closer then you think.
 
Get them off the gear and have them running 16km+ every week and lets see how they fair "athletically", they will certainly have some freaks given a population of 360 mil but it would be a lot closer then you think.

If Dean Brogan - who is nowhere near the athlete that top NBA players are - can make the switch and have a successful 14 year career, I’m fairly sure there’d be s**t tons of NBA players who would be successes.
 
Get them off the gear and have them running 16km+ every week and lets see how they fair "athletically", they will certainly have some freaks given a population of 360 mil but it would be a lot closer then you think.
No it really wouldn't. Buddy is average and has taken more gear than the players I mentioned.
 
Already made in sponsorships what any A-grade player AFL player will make over a career.

Scary how good he's going to be, and one of those guys that'll drag part-time NBA watchers into the sport.
 
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