Crafted
Club Legend
- Jul 5, 2012
- 1,466
- 780
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
- Other Teams
- Sacramento Kings, Arsenal
Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons 6'9" 230, SF/PF, Melbourne, Australia, Montverde Academy 2015 - Simmons took the U.S. high school basketball scene by storm by dominating the 2012 Pangos All American Camp. He moved to the United States this past year to suit up for Coach Kevin Boyle at Montverde Academy in Florida and did not disappoint, immediately helping them win the HS national championship. He's got SF skills and has grown in the past year into PF size. A smooth and skilled lefty who can do everything on the floor, Simmons has a soft left handed feathery touch from outside and can put the ball on the floor and get in the lane when he wants to. His passing ability for a kid his size is what sets him apart from his peers. With upperclassmen such as Kasey Hill, and D'Angelo Russell, Simmons took a backseat on a senior led Montverde team this past season, but will be the main focal point offensively which should allow him to grow into the role of more of an alpha dog that his talent suggests. If he stays focused and continues to work hard, he has a chance to be very special. NBA Comparison: Tracy McGrady
Strengths:
6'8 Aussie small forward with a versatile skill set ... High level athlete with a smoothness to his game ... Has a chance to be special ... Just turned 16 and already playing at an high level for high school age ... Lefty shooter with feathery touch and excellent release ... Grew up around the game, and shows a feel for the game that cannot be learned on the fly ... Adept at creating shots for himself and can spot up or pull up off the dribble ... Very good at creating offense for himself or others ... Has a tremendous basketball body with a big frame, wide shoulders, enormous hands and long arms ... Strong family background has made him a hard working kid with a strong work ethic ... High level vision and passing skills. His passing ability is rare for a forward ... Already 6'8 and his growth plates are still open. Could end up in the 6'10 range when all is said and done ... Great first step and knows how to use ball fakes to get his man off balance ... Shows the competitiveness to raise his level of play in clutch situations and when he's challenged ... Solid defender. Gets a low base. Good lateral speed. Stays in front of his man. Doesn't gamble ... Great maturity/composure. Rarely rushes things and gets out of control. ... Has avoided being coddled by the AAU scene ... His game is very advanced/complete for such a young player, doesn't have any glaring weaknesses ...
Weaknesses:
He's such an advanced player for his age, any defiencies are really nit picking at this point ... Plays almost too unselfish at times. Not a prolific scorer, yet. Should look to become more aggressive at creating shots for himself ... Needs to mature physically, but has a great body already and will only continue to get stronger. Just a baby at 16 so plenty of time for his body to get stronger ... Will need to be able to block out the hype and stay focused ... Can become better at moving without the ball. Learning to set his man up off of screnes and staying active ...
Notes: Plans to play college ball after high school, and possibly come over to the US for his senior year ... Broke onto the scene with a strong performance at the 2012 Pangos Camp gaining national attention in the US ... Has proven himself against the best high school players on numerous occaisions ... Grew up around basketball. Father, Dave Simmons, played in the NBL ... Has know countryman Dante Exum since he was 7 years old ...
