LSU freshman forward Ben Simmons made the long trek from his homeland of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to play high school basketball at the highest level in Florida for three years. But before he ever plays a college basketball game in Baton Rouge, he’ll be headed back across the world.
And the top-rated prep player from the class 2015 is already thinking about comfort food – shepherd’s pie and a Big M flavored milk – when the Tigers arrive in Sydney on Aug. 13 for five exhibition games in Australia.
“That’s the first thing I’m doing when I get back,” Simmons said following the Tigers’ sixth summer practice.
The tour has been a plan three years in the making, beginning when coach Johnny Jones and assistant head coach David Patrick took over in 2012. Based on NCAA rules, teams are allowed to take foreign exhibition trips every four years, including LSU’s 11-day trip to Italy in 2011 under former coach, Trent Johnson.
Australia was the perfect destination for Jones and Patrick, who is Simmons’ godfather and was also raised in Melbourne, in an attempt to gain more exposure and lure top Australian players. With Simmons and junior center Darcy Malone, a Canberra, Australia product, the Tigers have already made their recruiting footprint on the continent.
As Patrick acknowledges, there’s no downside to the team’s excursion – both in the present and the future.
“College games aren’t as accessible over there as they are here,” Patrick said. “The fact that they can see us up close and personal, see coach Jones’ personality as a coach and see ‘LSU’ on the chest can only enhance our efforts.
“It’s free advertising.”
As for the current roster, the early start to the season comes with perfecting timing for a team still offering a relatively young roster, looking to build chemistry before the regular season kicks off in November.
Like Kentucky’s, a 2015 Final Four participant, trip to the Bahamas last season, Jones pointed out the link between teams who go on summer tours and the success that team has in the postseason. On top of that, Jones can alternate lineups and implement his system with new players in live situations when wins and losses are meaningless.
“Bringing new guys in, this has been really good for us this early part of now waiting until October,” Jones said. “Coaches are always eager to get started. To have an opportunity to get started this early, it really helps you scratch that itch that are looking for prior to the start of the season.”
5-on-5 drills show potential lineup groups, Bridgewater injured
The media was able to view roughly 20 minutes of 5-on-5 drills at Tuesday’s practice session, giving a glimpse of what the Tigers’ initial lineup could look like in Australia.
Junior guard Tim Quarterman, senior guard Keith Hornsby, freshman guard Antonio Blakeney, Simmons, and Malone worked as a group in purple practice jerseys and could potentially be the starters in LSU first exhibition game against the Newcastle All-Stars on Aug. 15. Senior guard Josh Gray, sophomore guard Jalyn Patterson, freshman guard Brandon Sampson, sophomore forward Aaron Epps and sophomore center Elbert Robinson III formed the gold unit.
Due to transfer rules, junior forward Craig Victor, who arrived from Arizona in the middle of last season, was not practicing today and will not be able to practice or play in Australia. Victor is expected to make his debut with the Tigers at the conclusion of the fall semester.
Sophomore forward Brian Bridgewater also did not practice due to an unspecified leg injury. Bridgewater saw a doctor on Monday and was seen riding a stationary bike, but Jones is unsure how much the Scotlandville High School alum will participate in Australia.
“It’s going to be a day-by-day for him,” Jones said. “If he’s able to get better, he made be able to participate in a game or two. But he’s injured right now.”
