Ben Simmons is really good at basketball

When Kentucky meets LSU in Baton Rouge on Tuesday night, it will have its hands full with Ben Simmons, undoubtedly the best player in America.

The Tigers’ 6-10 forward is a lock for the No. 1 overall pick in next summer’s NBA draft, but first he is putting up remarkable numbers in his only season of college basketball. He currently averages 20.5 points, 13.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists, with single-game highs of 43 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists.

One of only two players in the Southeastern Conference averaging a double-double, Simmons has scored in double figures in all but one game: a four-point outing versus NC State. At first glance that seems like an off-night for the superstar — that is, until you see he had 14 rebounds and 10 assists in that game. He has yet to take a night off:

Kentucky will hope to limit Simmons’ production, which is much easier said than done. John Calipari will likely throw multiple defenders at Simmons, beginning with Alex Poythress and seeing how it goes from there.

The strategy will most likely be to allow Simmons to get whatever he can get, then shut down the other four Tigers on the court. However, with the recent return of Keith Hornsby, and a good player in Antonio Blakeney, that is also easier said than done.

 

As we await Tuesday night’s challenge and Kentucky’s first look at the biggest name in college basketball, let’s take a look at what we’ve learned about him through the first half of his one-year career:

 

He dominated Vanderbilt in his SEC debut.

In Simmons’ first league contest, a road game at Vanderbilt, he scored 36 points with 14 assists in an LSU win. The Tigers were a 10-point underdog at tip-off.

Simmons did things like this:

And this:

And this:

Simmons went 10-of-15 from the field and 16-of-19 from the foul line in that game.

Lakers fans are praying he ends up in Los Angeles.

That would be the best scenario for the NBA, too. With Kobe Bryant’s retirement at the end of the season, Los Angeles needs star power. Simmons and D’Angelo Russell would give them a young one-two punch to build around. Not to mention, Julius Randle helping out inside.

ESPN’s latest draft outlook gives L.A. a 19.9 percent chance to land Simmons, second to Philadelphia’s 28.7 percent odds.

Prior to this season, Simmons said, “You can catch me on the Lakers next year” on his SnapChat.

He will not accept a double-bouncer at the foul line.

Throw him a weak pass and he will send it right back.

https://twitter.com/TheCauldron/status/683484933164273665

I like how he motions to the referee to put some muscle in it.

He throws an accurate behind-the-back pass in transition… with his off-hand.

Well, the closest thing he has to an off-hand.

This play came within the first three minutes of his first game.

He dunks whenever he wants.

Just ask Wake Forest…

 

He can’t/doesn’t shoot.

Simmons is an excellent scorer, rebounder, passer, defender and leader, but he isn’t completely invincible on the basketball court. There is one facet of his game he has yet to perfect: shooting.

With that in mind, expect Kentucky to sag off Simmons and make him shoot the long ball, the one thing he hasn’t done all year.

Simmons has three attempts from beyond the arc this season, coming on a 1-for-2 night against Charleston and then a brick against Vanderbilt on Saturday. Other than that, all of his shot attempts have come from inside. Kentucky should jam the middle and make him prove he can hit shots to extend the defense. Until he does, play off of him and protect the lane.

Then again, Simmons might bury three-pointers over the Kentucky defense if he’s left unguarded. He hasn’t really needed to shoot any this year because he has been scoring at will.

I don’t know what UK can do to stop him Tuesday night, if anything at all.

Good luck with him, guys.