Is there no chance at all Simmons gets in the tourney?  This is one of those times, as a non-fan of college basketball, I'd like to see the selection committee put a team in on the strength of a single player. 

The tourney will be much more interesting if Simmons is in it.

Quote from: PhoSita on March 09, 2016, 03:19:32 PM

Is there no chance at all Simmons gets in the tourney?  This is one of those times, as a non-fan of college basketball, I'd like to see the selection committee put a team in on the strength of a single player. 

The tourney will be much more interesting if Simmons is in it.

Sorry for this trollish question. 

If Simmons is as good as everyone says, why didn't his team make the tournament?

I mean, Larry Bird took 4 guys named Joe to the finals.

I don't think it's fair to compare Simmons to Bird, though I'm sure somebody somewhere has done it by now.

But more importantly Bird was a 22 year old junior at the time, Simmons is a 19 year old freshman.  It's not really the same situation.  As a 20 year old freshman Bird put up killer numbers but lost in the first round of the NIT. 

Quote from: Emmette Bryant on March 10, 2016, 11:49:35 AM

Quote from: PhoSita on March 09, 2016, 03:19:32 PM

Is there no chance at all Simmons gets in the tourney?  This is one of those times, as a non-fan of college basketball, I'd like to see the selection committee put a team in on the strength of a single player. 

The tourney will be much more interesting if Simmons is in it.

Sorry for this trollish question. 

If Simmons is as good as everyone says, why didn't his team make the tournament?

I mean, Larry Bird took 4 guys named Joe to the finals.

I don't think it's fair to compare Simmons to Bird, though I'm sure somebody somewhere has done it by now.

But more importantly Bird was a 22 year old junior at the time, Simmons is a 19 year old freshman.  It's not really the same situation.  As a 20 year old freshman Bird put up killer numbers but lost in the first round of the NIT.

Nit loses for both great Celtics maybe....

Quote from: Emmette Bryant on March 10, 2016, 11:49:35 AM

Quote from: PhoSita on March 09, 2016, 03:19:32 PM

Is there no chance at all Simmons gets in the tourney?  This is one of those times, as a non-fan of college basketball, I'd like to see the selection committee put a team in on the strength of a single player. 

The tourney will be much more interesting if Simmons is in it.

Sorry for this trollish question. 

If Simmons is as good as everyone says, why didn't his team make the tournament?

I mean, Larry Bird took 4 guys named Joe to the finals.

I don't think it's fair to compare Simmons to Bird, though I'm sure somebody somewhere has done it by now.

But more importantly Bird was a 22 year old junior at the time, Simmons is a 19 year old freshman.  It's not really the same situation.  As a 20 year old freshman Bird put up killer numbers but lost in the first round of the NIT. 

BUT, in Bird's time, it was a rarity when kids left school early as Juniors, nevermind the current 1-and-done parade to the NBA.   

It's a fair point to make about Simmons.  A player of his ballyhooed talents should have been able to beat enough of the middlint-to-poor teams his team played against with little other help from his teammates.  Players on the LSU bench are likely good enough to start for a number of those middling teams. 

As for the notion of the tourney selectmen picking a team just to showcase a team with a special player that otherwise wouldn't merit consideration, I say no thank you.  No excuse for making another team that played hard all year without a superstar to get screwed just because they don't have a recognizable name come tourney selection time.  give the no-name kids their due and let them enjoy their moment in the sun.  Simmons will get more than enough limelight soon enough.

Quote from: Emmette Bryant on March 10, 2016, 11:49:35 AM

Quote from: PhoSita on March 09, 2016, 03:19:32 PM

Is there no chance at all Simmons gets in the tourney?  This is one of those times, as a non-fan of college basketball, I'd like to see the selection committee put a team in on the strength of a single player. 

The tourney will be much more interesting if Simmons is in it.

Sorry for this trollish question. 

If Simmons is as good as everyone says, why didn't his team make the tournament?

I mean, Larry Bird took 4 guys named Joe to the finals.

I don't honestly care ... he's going to be one of the top two picks in the draft.  I will pay less attention to the tourney if he's not in it.

This is my selfish, non-NCAA-fan reason for wanting LSU in the tourney.

So here's a question, when's the last time a projected top-5 pick out of college didn't make the NCAA tournament the year they were coming out?

Damian Lillard at #6 comes to mind, but he was out of a mid-major conference with some big question marks on if he could perform at the NBA.  Simmons is in a major conference and is supposed to be the next big thing.


Edit: To answer my own question, apparently Michael Olowokandi didn't make the tourny the year he came out, but I may have missed somebody.  Not a good look for Simmons.

Quote from: foulweatherfan on March 10, 2016, 11:55:30 AM

Quote from: Emmette Bryant on March 10, 2016, 11:49:35 AM

Quote from: PhoSita on March 09, 2016, 03:19:32 PM

Is there no chance at all Simmons gets in the tourney?  This is one of those times, as a non-fan of college basketball, I'd like to see the selection committee put a team in on the strength of a single player. 

The tourney will be much more interesting if Simmons is in it.

Sorry for this trollish question. 

If Simmons is as good as everyone says, why didn't his team make the tournament?

I mean, Larry Bird took 4 guys named Joe to the finals.

I don't think it's fair to compare Simmons to Bird, though I'm sure somebody somewhere has done it by now.

But more importantly Bird was a 22 year old junior at the time, Simmons is a 19 year old freshman.  It's not really the same situation.  As a 20 year old freshman Bird put up killer numbers but lost in the first round of the NIT. 

BUT, in Bird's time, it was a rarity when kids left school early as Juniors, nevermind the current 1-and-done parade to the NBA.   

It's a fair point to make about Simmons.  A player of his ballyhooed talents should have been able to beat enough of the middlint-to-poor teams his team played against with little other help from his teammates.  Players on the LSU bench are likely good enough to start for a number of those middling teams. 

As for the notion of the tourney selectmen picking a team just to showcase a team with a special player that otherwise wouldn't merit consideration, I say no thank you.  No excuse for making another team that played hard all year without a superstar to get screwed just because they don't have a recognizable name come tourney selection time.  give the no-name kids their due and let them enjoy their moment in the sun.  Simmons will get more than enough limelight soon enough.

TP for another thoughtful answer.  I just googled the question and here is 538's response:

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/elite-prospects-like-ben-simmons-almost-never-miss-the-tournament/

What's the combined shooting percentage of Simmons's teammates?

He's a fantastic talent, but if he's surrounded by bricklayers, there's not a lot he can be expected to do since he can't shoot himself.

I think it is less about his teammates not being able to shoot but more about his teammates not playing great defense.

They often count on him to play in the middle of a 2-3 zone. If he's your rim protector/biggest player you are in trouble.

Granted, I'm not a huge NCAA guy and have only watched him a couple times, so my impression could be wrong.