Takeaways From Ben Simmons One & Done Documentary

After watching the documentary on Ben Simmons on Showtime there were so many takeaways.  A few things stood out.

He would have been better served playing overseas for a year or going to a program such as Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, or UNC that had experience dealing with one year players.  The coaches at those respective schools would have had some boundaries in place and better prepared him and his family for what was in store.  Simmons had the attitude that he was doing LSU a favor by attending, which he was because he was their most high profile basketball player since Shaquille O’Neal.  The coaching staff couldn’t tell him anything.  The team’s struggles were concerning and his lack of competitiveness in key moments.  His teammates didn’t appear to trust him.  They go 18-13, miss the NCAA Tournament and get blown out by 23 points in their last game in the SEC Tournament.

  The one and done rule needs to go.  For an athlete of Simmons stature who has no interest in being a college student attending college for a year, especially with the attitude he had toward it makes a mockery of college.  This is not about simply being 18 and having the right to work.  Every entity makes a decision on what is the minimum requirement whether it is age, education or years of experience.  Enough players have had success entering out of high school.  With the NBA Developmental League they can continue to develop until they are ready.  I would like a rule similar to baseball, which has a three year mandatory stay if you choose to go to college and not turn pro out of high school.  Basketball would be better served with a two year rule.  But this is a NBA and union issue to resolve, not the MCAA, but they need to get involved.

Simmons had legitimate complaints regarding the NCAA, but they are not new and he is not the first. His family was very supportive, but appeared overwhelmed and when he was drafted #1 the end seem to justify the means.  Then he ill-advisedly puts on 35 lbs in the offseason and breaks his foot three weeks before the season begins.  The majority of that weight cannot be lean muscle and will have an impact on movement.  It is not shocking that he suffered an injury to a lower extremity.

That being said, he is very talented and a full recovery is expected.  A bright future is still available to him.  From my observation certain intangibles are missing and he is young and his teammate weren’t that good are irrelevant in how a player approaches the game and competes.  Time and age in most instances doesn’t change that.  It will be interesting to see how it plays out for him.