2015 was a very deep year for high school recruits. Among the many very good players, one player rose to the top of the class, that being Ben Simmons, who decided to attend LSU. Simmons is the best player in college basketball right now, averaging 20 points, 15 rebounds and six assists per game, albeit through only seven games played. Simmons had himself an unbelievable night Wednesday, scoring 43 points, and adding 14 rebounds, seven assists and five steals. This kind of game hasn't been seen in college basketball in 20 years, and shows the kind of player Simmons can be moving forward.
Simmons represents a game-changing talent on the wing that we haven't seen coming into the NBA Draft in a long time. Who was the last 6'10" athletic freak with skills on offense and defense that match anyone else in the game? I can't see any players as big, explosive and athletic as Simmons since LeBron James in 2003. You could argue for Andrew Wiggins in 2014, but besides that, most of the draft prospects since James have not had the any of the qualities of Simmons.
If Simmons finds a system that fits him, he could very well become a superstar and leader from day one. A team like the 76ers or Lakers, who need help on the wing and also need a legitimate scoring threat, could turn around with Simmons' explosive play. Getting a team like that to a playoff run would put him in the middle of the MVP race.
While Stephen Curry is dominant and players like Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook are always contenders, a special player like Simmons could turn around a team and put up ridiculous numbers, and could be a legitimate MVP-candidate during his rookie season.
