Anyone paying even passing attention to the lead up to the 2016 NBA Draft knows the basic scouting report on the players considered to be the top two prospects. Brandon Ingram is a small forward who can knock down threes and possesses the necessary combination of lateral speed and length necessary to project him as a standout defender at the next level.
Ben Simmons is thought by many to have a ceiling above that. The LSU product possesses exceptional court vision for any player, much less a power forward. Combined with his ball-handling ability, such vision would seem to give Simmons the edge in almost any draft, but his stock has fallen to about even with Ingram's in most eyes due to one major "flaw" in his game.
The one knock? He can't shoot, or so we've all heard. Simmons is in the gym trying to change that perception (and possibly work on his soccer skills as well):
GOOOAAAALLLLL ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/W4ReWgjR22
— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) May 29, 2016
One made three-pointer does not a three-point shooter make, but it's encouraging to see Simmons continuing to try and work out the one big kink in his game.
If Simmons can become a passable three-point shooter, defenders will have to play him closely enough to give him a chance to blow by them and get to the rim, or face the prospect of giving up three points instead of two. It will also allow his future teammates to not have to worry as much about Simmons' defender sagging off of him to muck up their driving lanes or post-ups.
It seems more and more likely with each report that Philadelphia 76ers will ultimately draft Simmons, but if he does end up in Los Angeles, a burgeoning three-point shot is good news for the organization and their fans.
Who knows, with that type of footwork maybe he can moonlight for the L.A. Galaxy during the offseason to boot.
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