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Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons has always been a player under the spotlight. That's what comes with being the first pick in an NBA draft.
Simmons became one of the top players in the country as a freshman at LSU and was taken No. 1 in the 2016 NBA draft. From there, Simmons came with some lofty expectations. Simmons has the talent to be one of the most dominant stars in the league.
At 6-foot-10, with the playmaking and ball handling of a point guard, Simmons has a rare set of tools in his arsenal. He's also become a sensational weapon on the defensive side of the ball. But his weaknesses have also made him a dangerous player in the league.
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Simmons has continued to show a lack of shooting attempts from outside of the paint. On top of that, Simmons has had problems with his health, both physically and mentally. For a player who was once viewed as one of the top young rising superstars in the league, the stock for Simmons has changed.
That's exactly what analyst Chris Broussard believes as well. On "The Odd Couple" podcast, Broussard talked about how there are plenty of questions involving Simmons:
"Hopefully, I mean, just as basketball fans you hope that this guy can become the player that he's got the potential to be, becausehe was fantastic at LSU. Now, there's the physical issues we've talked about. There are the mental issues, and then you're talking to people around the league, there are questions about his motor. Does he love the game?
"I've had a few people I spoke to last week about Ben tell me – these are executives in the league – that you got to stay away from him. He will get you fired, you know. Like trading for him will get you fired.
"So, there are those that wonder how much he loves the game. And they look at the fact that he's not even to the point where he's taking jump shots yet. And they look at that as he don't love it, he hasn't worked hard enough even to overcome that mental block."
Ben Simmons starting to find his groove with the Brooklyn Nets
Time will tell if Brooklyn Nets wing Ben Simmons can eventually deliver on the potential he showed as a top overall selection.
After spending the early portion of his career with the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons demanded a trade and a change of scenery last season. It would eventually result in Ben Simmons being acquired by the Brooklyn Nets. After setbacks in his rehab, the talented wing made his debut for the Nets this season.
It was a slow start to the season for both Ben Simmons and the Brooklyn Nets (8-10). The team lost five of its first six games. After missing more than a year of game experience, Simmons showed rust on the court as well.
In his first nine games, Simmons averaged 5.2 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. Since then, Simmons has started to show signs of his former self. Over his last four games, Simmons is averaging 14.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg and 6.5 apg.
