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With the NBA draft right around the corner, now is the time to look at some past drafts and see what the Philadelphia 76ers have done in their history. The Sixers have selected some big-time players in the past who have become an important part of the fabric of the franchise's history.
This edition moves on to the 2016 NBA draft as the Sixers held the No. 1 pick after a miserable 10-72 season. With that pick, Philadelphia was able to land LSU superstar Ben Simmons who was the obvious pick in that draft. After missing the 2016-17 season due to injury, Simmons burst onto the scene in 2017-18 averaging 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals on his way to winning Rookie of the Year and helping Philadelphia make the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
Simmons then followed that up with three straight seasons of being named an All-Star including two seasons of being named to the All-Defensive First Team twice, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2020. He averaged 2.1 steals in the 2019-20 season as he was a defensive menace out on the floor and one of the fastest players in the league with the ball while standing at 6-foot-10.
Unfortunately, things turned for Simmons and the Sixers after the 2020-21 season. After a disastrous end in the Round 2 loss to the Atlanta Hawks--including him passing up the dunk in Game 7--rumors were flying that the Sixers were looking into moving him. The 3-time All-Star then demanded a trade and he did not show up to training camp or team activities citing mental health as a big reason for it. He was thrown out of practice before the season opener and was suspended for that opener.
Simmons did not play at all for the Sixers in the 2021-22 season and was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the big James Harden trade at the deadline. Simmons did not play for the Nets after the trade due to a back injury and did not play for Brooklyn until the 2022-23 season. He played 90 games for the Nets across three seasons and is now with the Los Angeles Clippers.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers draft history: Ben Simmons selected No. 1 overall in 2016
Continue reading...
This edition moves on to the 2016 NBA draft as the Sixers held the No. 1 pick after a miserable 10-72 season. With that pick, Philadelphia was able to land LSU superstar Ben Simmons who was the obvious pick in that draft. After missing the 2016-17 season due to injury, Simmons burst onto the scene in 2017-18 averaging 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.7 steals on his way to winning Rookie of the Year and helping Philadelphia make the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
Simmons then followed that up with three straight seasons of being named an All-Star including two seasons of being named to the All-Defensive First Team twice, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2020. He averaged 2.1 steals in the 2019-20 season as he was a defensive menace out on the floor and one of the fastest players in the league with the ball while standing at 6-foot-10.
Unfortunately, things turned for Simmons and the Sixers after the 2020-21 season. After a disastrous end in the Round 2 loss to the Atlanta Hawks--including him passing up the dunk in Game 7--rumors were flying that the Sixers were looking into moving him. The 3-time All-Star then demanded a trade and he did not show up to training camp or team activities citing mental health as a big reason for it. He was thrown out of practice before the season opener and was suspended for that opener.
Simmons did not play at all for the Sixers in the 2021-22 season and was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the big James Harden trade at the deadline. Simmons did not play for the Nets after the trade due to a back injury and did not play for Brooklyn until the 2022-23 season. He played 90 games for the Nets across three seasons and is now with the Los Angeles Clippers.
This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers draft history: Ben Simmons selected No. 1 overall in 2016
Continue reading...
