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Philadelphia 76ers: Ben Simmons, the brightest shining ‘rookie’

By Alex Reed

PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 31: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball during the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 31, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. The 76ers defeated the Suns 123-110. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 31: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball during the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on December 31, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. The 76ers defeated the Suns 123-110. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben Simmons was the brightest shining rooking in what could end up being one of the best classes of all-time

When all is said and done, this is going to be the greatest rookie class of all-time.

Donovan Mitchell is the steal of the draft and has lit the league up. Jayson Tatum is one of the best professional scoring rookies that the league has ever seen, on par with Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony.

Lauri Markannen would be Rookie of the Year in a lot of other seasons. He broke Damian Lillard’s record as fastest rookie to 100 3’s, and was a ray of hope for a desolate team. The emergence of Kyle Kuzma, the excitement of Dennis Smith Jr. and the late eruption from Josh Jackson all have to be mentioned as well.

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All of this happened with Markelle Fultz missing almost the entire season. This class has so many future all-stars that it’s almost terrifying. Ben Simmons was just better though, and deserves the award.

Is Simmons a rookie?

Let’s clear this up right now, Ben Simmons IS a rookie. Larry Bird was a rookie after he skipped an entire year before making his debut. David Robinson was a rookie after coming into the league years after he was drafted. Joel Embiid could’ve won Rookie of the Year last year had he played enough games to be eligible.

Enough is enough, the precedent has been set and it cannot be ignored for personal bias. Now that that’s out of the way, we can get back to more important things.

On-Court Play/Eye test

Ben Simmons was superb on the court, and his stats don’t tell the whole story. Ben Simmons showed off his greatness by how much he was feared by other teams. The last player who created that much fear was Magic Johnson. Like Magic, Simmons is a pass-first point guard who is quick and is also 7-feet tall. He couples that with the IQ and vision to make passes that defy belief. The on-court presence is astounding and his impact on the game is unreal.

Simmons carved out a role and became the true mover and shaker for The Sixers. Donovan Mitchell had an easier job in Utah. He stepped into Gordon Haywards former role and did it perfectly. That job is easier when the team and the system are already established. Ben Simmons had to adapt with a changing team that was still trying to discover itself. Ben Simmons was the one who took his team to the next level and deserves acknowledgment.

All in all, this rookie class is special. Donovan Mitchell came out of no where and has nothing to get down about. If he continues this level of play, he could easily be an all-star next season. The future is bright for each of these teams, but Ben Simmons is special above any other rookie. He could be an all-time great.

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For the other rookies who don’t win, it’s time to get in the gym and show why they were overlooked. Donovan Mitchell had a break out season and become a big name in no time. The NBA is in a really good place for the future and the play of these rookies is only going to get better.