The Case for Brandon Ingram At #1

With the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft being won by the Philadelphia 76ers, many think that Ben Simmons will go to Philly. Why not? Brett Brown knows Simmons and his family from Australia, so it is evident that they’d connect faster. Simmons fills all their needs, right?

Last year, the 76ers drafted talented big man Jahlil Okafor to add to their young talent at the power forward and center positions,  along with Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid in the years before that. The center and power forward positions are full of talent and potential. The back court and small forward positions however are lacking, the 76ers are lackluster at the perimeter, shooting only 34% from three. The team needs a perimeter shooter, and player, and that’s not Ben Simmons in my eyes.

Simmons is a better rebounder and passer than Ingram, but the 76ers have plenty of rebounders and they have Ish Smith who hooked teammates up well, averaging 6.5 assists per game last season. Ingram is the more polished defender which would also help the team as the Sixers were in the bottom 2 of the league when it came to points allowed per game.

So far, we have Ingram bringing up 2 point percent and likely points scored, and likely offering better defense and therefore less opponents points scored. While Simmons is great in certain areas, as I look at it, Ingram is a better fit for the team.

So before you declare Ben Simmons the number one pick, stop and think. Would Ben Simmons really be a better fit than Brandon Ingram? Ingram brings as much (if not more) to the table as Simmons brings.