Lights shined. Cameras clicked. Reporters shoved recorders and microphones near his face.
Ben Simmons didn’t move a muscle of his 6-foot-10, 235-pound frame.
The LSU freshman forward has faced the media so many times in just the past three years that it has become old hat for him. It isn’t just his relaxed nature when being bombarded with questions for more than 30 minutes. He also seems to take the attention by the horns, accepting his stardom while remaining modest.
But away from the hardwood, Simmons just wants to be like every other student.
“Off the court, I’m just Ben,” Simmons said. “I don’t look at myself as a prospect, No. 1 pick or anything like that. I’m just here to play, have fun and go to school.
Perhaps, Simmons will be the No. 1 draft pick by the time June 2016 rolls around, but he’ll need to prove it in just one year at LSU. His versatility could be the springboard that gets his name called first next summer and propels the Tigers to the top of the Southeastern Conference.
The Melbourne, Australia, native’s skills are evident, but they also are unusual. It’s difficult to put him in a category or a position group. He’s listed as a forward but considers himself a point forward with capabilities of bringing the ball up the floor and pulling up from outside.
To compare him to Lebron James — a player Simmons loves watching and has played against at James’ Skills Academy — is probably unfair, considering he has yet to play a minute in college basketball. But that may be one of the few players in the NBA today who has similar ability and a true indication of how talented Simmons is.
But Simmons doesn’t try to duplicate any one professional, nor does he want to be placed in a box.
“Coach [Kevin] Boyle, my high school coach, always told me I’m a player,” Simmons said. “As soon as the ball starts going down the court, it’s just a game, and you just got to find the open spots.”
Not only does Simmons want freedom on the floor, but so does LSU coach Johnny Jones. Because of Simmons’ unselfish nature, Jones is willing to trust Simmons with the ball in his hands in all situations, becoming a facilitator for his teammates.
“The last thing you want to do is try and handcuff a player that has the ability to impact the game in a lot of areas,” Jones said. “When you see how unselfish of a player Ben Simmons is, I think that’s one of the reasons that he’s been rated so high. The impact that he’s had on the game is because of his unselfishness. If he was a point forward that handled the ball, who tried to create opportunities for himself all the time, then I think you would have a problem.
“He creates easy scoring opportunities for other guys out there. He has a high basketball IQ. The last thing you want to do is to try and put too many limitations on a guy who doesn’t need it.”
To create the scoring opportunities, Simmons needs to build chemistry with his teammates, but he’s already done so with freshman guard Antonio Blakeney.
The two went to competing high schools in Florida, but through camps and all-star teams, including the Nike Basketball Academy last week, Simmons and Blakeney have already played together several times.
The duo’s rapport was a big reason Blakeney decided to head to Baton Rouge.
“To me, I could see the potential and how good the team could be,” Blakeney said. “It’s great to come in and play with someone that I already have a good chemistry with. He’s someone who I feel can be the best player in the country.”
It remains to be seen if Simmons can reach that status, but he might have the best chance of any LSU player in recent memory.
“Ben is your ideal student-athlete in how he has handled himself over the last several months,” Jones said. “The good thing is he doesn’t allow himself to be distracted in small things. He’s been very focused, and that’s very beneficial for him. He’s going to control the things he has control over, and, those things he doesn’t, I don’t think he has as much concern or worry about.”
You can reach James Bewers on Twitter @JamesBewers_TDR.