NEW YORK (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers’ current rebuilding project now includes Ben Simmons.
The Sixers have used the first pick in the NBA draft to select the LSU forward, who averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists for the Tigers as a freshman last season.
The 6-foot-10, 240-pound Simmons led the SEC in rebounding and was third in points before being named a consensus All-American. He joins a team that went a league-worst 10-72 last season, one off the NBA record for losses.
Duke freshman forward Brandon Ingram was the second player selected, grabbed by the Los Angeles Lakers. Ingram averaged 17 points a game and hit 41 percent of his 3-point attempts for the Blue Devils.
Boston used the first of their eight draft picks to take California small forward Jaylen Brown, making it 3-for-3 on freshmen selections in the draft. Brown scored 14.6 points a game for the Bears.
Phoenix went the international route with the fourth choice, getting seven-foot power forward Dragan Bender. The Croatian-born Bender spent last season playing in the Israeli Winner League, the Euroleague and Eurocup for Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Providence guard and defensive wiz Kris Dunn went to the Timberwolves with the fifth overall pick. Dunn was the Big East Player of the Year the last two seasons and averaged 16.4 points and 6.2 assists in 2015-16.
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