LSU Basketball: Ben Simmons Could Lead LSU To National Prominence
By Matt Johnson
When 6-foot-10 freshman sensation Ben Simmons announced his intention to attend LSU starting in 2015-16, the hype machine surrounding LSU Tigers basketball kicked into high gear.
With the season now just days away, all that talk is turning into preseason accolades.
The question is whether the 18-year-old who was born in Melbourne, Australia, has played for the Australian National Team, and prepped at both Box Hill Secondary School and Florida hoops powerhouse Montverde Academy can follow through on all that potential.
Simmons was named a preseason All-American by the Associated Press on Monday and comparisons are already being made to a young LeBron James.
Add it all up and the pressure is on for a prospect coach Johnny Jones and the rest of Tiger Nation hope can lead their program back towards the top of the SEC.
Things haven’t always been so rosy in Baton Rouge when it comes to basketball.
The days of Pete Maravich, Chris Jackson and Shaquille O’Neal seemed long past when the Tigers struggled to seasons of 11-20 in 2009-10, 11-21 in 2010-2011 and missed the postseason entirely in five of seven years between 2006 and 2013.
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Coming off a 22-win season that netted an NCAA Tournament victory, the Tigers finally appear ready for prime time.
After all, they return three starters and are considered by some a legitimate threat to the Kentucky Wildcats’ hegemony ruling over SEC basketball.
Everything ultimately will fall on Simmons however. Can he lead the Tigers to the pinnacle?
If the comparisons to James prove to be true, there will be plenty of purple and gold clad fans screaming with glee inside Maravich Assembly Center.
In Keith Hornsby and Tim Quarterman, LSU already has two double-figure scorers who can also knock down shots from long range.
If either Darcy Malone or Elbert Robinson III can step up on the front court, the Tigers figure to be formidable for any opponent.
Throw Simmons along with fellow prep All-American Antonio Blakeney into that mix and you have the makings for plenty of smiles amongst LSU fans.
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It’s no secret Simmons possesses the tools to dominate at the college level. He runs the floor effortlessly, handles the ball like a point guard, and sees the game at an elite level.
In other words, he’s the type that makes everyone around him better. And with LSU coming off a pretty good season in 2014-15, it could all add up to a phenomenal year in 2015-16.
Nevertheless, gaining preseason All-American status is nothing to sneeze at in terms of pressure. Some thrive under such scrutiny while others shrink into a shell.
To this point, Simmons has shown all the flair and maturity required to handle such intense eye-balling. Can he do it for a full season? Is he ready to take LSU not only to the top of the SEC, but college basketball? These are the questions only the next four months can truly answer.
One thing is certain however, Ben Simmons is currently the talk of college basketball.
We’ll see if that’s still the case once March and April roll around.