Ben Simmons BATON ROUGE, LA – JANUARY 05: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers reacts to a dunk against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on January 5, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU defeated Kentucky 85-67. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Ben Simmons has declared for the NBA Draft. Simmons broke the news himself to ESPN on Sunday.

“I’m making it official,” Simmons said late Sunday night.

The 6’10” Australian is widely considered to be the top selection in June’s NBA Draft. Simmons had a brilliant season at LSU, despite the team failing to qualify for the NCAA Tournament and declining to play in the NIT.

The 19-year-old posted impressive numbers in his lone season at the collegiate level, averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. Simmons has drawn praise for his athletic skills, speed, and passing ability as a big man. However, he was ineligible for the Wooden Award because of academic issues.

As Bobby Marks of The Vertical notes, Simmons will be off-limits for NBA teams in the next six weeks. Until the NBA sends out a list of declared prospects, a team who speaks to Simmons would face a stiff financial penalty. Simmons is expected to sign with the Klutch Sports agency backed by LeBron James, and the shoe deal he’ll inevitably land is expected to cross the $100 million mark.

Right now, the Philadelphia 76ers (9-61) have the best odds to land Simmons in the lottery. The Lakers (14-55) have the second-best odds, and the Phoenix Suns (19-50) have the third-best odds.

Simmons has oodles of potential, and we could end up seeing him play this summer during the Rio Olympics before he sets foot on the court during an NBA game. If he continues to play like he did at LSU in the NBA, he’s got a strong chance of being a very good NBA player – even if he’s not going to be the next LeBron James.

[ESPN]

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