Ben Simmons really loves the Lakers and isn't afraid to show it

The Los Angeles Lakers have won two games in a row, but still sit with a record of 11-41, good for worst in the Western Conference and second worst in the entire league. If the Lakers' pick in the upcoming draft falls outside of the top three selections, they have to convey it to the Philadelphia 76ers, so if the NBA season ended today, the Lakers would have a 55.8% chance to keep their pick (according to Tankathon).

The prize of the 2016 NBA draft is widely projected to be LSU freshman forward Ben Simmons. The Australian sensation is averaging 19.5 points per game on 56.4% shooting with 12.5 rebounds during his first and likely only campaign with the Tigers. When not lighting up NCAA defenses, the presumptive top overall draft selection has sent some signs he might not mind reuniting with his high school teammate D'Angelo Russell and putting on a slightly different shade of purple and gold next season:

Big homie is in town @Dloading

— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) February 4, 2016

Simmons attended the first of the Lakers' two games in New Orleans this season, and his old friend wasn't the only Laker he was excited to watch:

Game time pic.twitter.com/gjMOHFIk4O

— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) February 5, 2016

Kobe!!!

— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) February 5, 2016

Coincidentally, Simmons' older brother, Liam, recently told Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News that while his younger sibling will be fine no matter who drafts him, he would be ready to play with the Lakers if they were fortunate enough to select him:

"He's going to be happy and appreciative of anywhere he goes," Liam Simmons said. "The Lakers franchise is a juggernaut. Along with that comes the responsibility of carrying the franchise's name and the legends before him. I think he'll enjoy that"

Can Ben Simmons do that?

"That's up to the coaching staff and franchise," Liam Simmons said. "He'll be as prepared as he can be as an individual."

For anyone wondering what Simmons looks like in a Lakers jersey, he not only wears the same colors for LSU, there also exist multiple pictures of the the freshman phenom posing in a Magic Johnson jersey:

Happy Birthday to the sis @hheidzz . HAVE A GREAT DAY pic.twitter.com/m6RpZbHprR

— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) November 3, 2015

He also has previously said "you can catch me on the Lakers next year":

Additionally, Simmons posted a potential preview of what he and Russell would look like together after an NBA game on his Instagram:

At the very least, I think we can definitively conclude that Ben Simmons enjoys the colors purple and gold, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and D'Angelo Russell. Don't let your speculation run too wild.