Now that the anxiously-awaited draft lottery has come to a close and the Philadelphia 76ers have landed the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2016 NBA Draft, a new dilemma has emerged: Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram?
The two one-and-done college stars sit atop the mock draft boards in what has become a two horse race, as they both make a strong case to be selected with the first overall pick once June 23 rolls around.
While the Sixers obviously have yet to reach a decision (at least publicly) regarding their draft day plans, head coach Brett Brown can't help but reminisce on the days where he coached an Australian basketball player with the last name Simmons two decades ago.
Not 19-year-old phenom Ben, of course, but his father, Dave Simmons.
“I coached Ben’s father a long time ago; I’ve known Ben since he was born,” Brown said in a USA TODAY story from Nicole Auerbach. “I’ve known his family since the late ‘80s. Just having that knowledge of where he was raised, understanding that culture — I also lived 17 years in Australia. There are a lot of different connections (related to that) that I think help make me better informed. This will help our organization make a more calculated decision. He’s obviously an extremely talented young man who comes from a great family.”
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