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Ex-No.1 pick warns Simmons of NBA hype

Roar Guru
13th January, 2016
1

Former NBA No.1 draft pick Anthony Bennett has warned Australian starlet Ben Simmons to ignore the hype and hope he lands with a team whose system fits his style of play.

The Toronto power forward has struggled to live up to his his billing as the first pick from the 2013 draft and the Raptors are already the third team he’s played – having been traded by Cleveland to Minnesota in 2014.

The 22-year-old became the first Canadian to become the No.1 overall pick when he was drafted by the Cavaliers but his on-court struggles have led to him being labelled the biggest bust in 20 years.

Melbourne-born Simmons is starring for Louisiana State University and widely tipped to become the first No.1 overall pick from the college since Shaquille O’Neal in 1992.

Bennett admits he found the step up from college huge and the learning curve steeper than he anticipated when he joined a struggling Cleveland side whose system was vastly different to what he experienced University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

And he warned Simmons to expect extra pressure when his name is read out at the Barclays Center in New York by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the draft in June.

“It’s not just about being in the first round it’s about being in a team that fits you,” Bennett told AAP in London ahead of Thursday’s NBA clash between the Raptors and Orlando Magic.

“You don’t really have any say about where you go and it is pretty much all determined in the pre-draft, they just make the hard decisions a few hours before.

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“People often don’t look at the bigger picture and can be quick to write you off when things don’t start well immediately.

“But being the No.1 pick is a great opportunity and a huge accomplishment and if it is Simmons it’ll be a very proud moment for him and his family like it was for me.”

Simmons would be the second Australian to be overall No.1, following trailblazing centre Andrew Bogut who went first to Milwaukee in 2005, but Bennett denied there’s any extra expectation to perform on players born outside of the USA.

“It was not a problem I encountered being from Canada and he (Simmons) won’t either,” he said.

“There’s guys from all over the world playing in the NBA. He’ll just be focusing on being right mentally and physically to fulfil his dream.

“It’s a big adjustment stepping up to the NBA and you have to learn fast but I am sure he’ll be fine.

“I hear he’s a pretty nice player.”

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