Simmons physical gifts are well documented and seeing them close up really drives home just how impressive they are. Simmons has an incredibly long frame. His standing reach is clearly over 9 feet and he uses this length to great effect. Simmons showed great agility and was very fluid in his court movement. Speed and explosiveness were evident throughout the drill work and Simmons showed tight body control while in motion which indicates that his core has been developed well.
Skills wise, Simmons showed some things that we hadnt seen much of before. In the shooting drills, Simmons showed eye-opening accuracy from all spots on the court. Left elbow, right elbow, baseline to baseline, step-ins, jump-backs, lateral motion shots, and all the way out to college 3-point territory, Simmons was hitting everything. Simmons hit 88 out of 123 shots he took in the drills we charted, or 72 percent. His form and shot motion was consistent and as close to flawless as a big man can be. He showed tremendous consistency of motion, using his enormous frame to full effect by shooting effortless jumpers above his head while maintaining minimal arm movement other than his wrist. His shot has substantial arc to it and his shots snap through the net with the silence that only that type of trajectory can bring.
As far as weaknesses go, the only substantial thing that stood out in this regard was his post moves, which were somewhat mechanical. His body motion was quick, but his release was awkward on his hook shots and for a player with hands of that size it was surprising to not see him simply cup the ball and drop it in after making his move and getting into position for the finish. Simmons was releasing the ball before coming all the way around into position. Simmons told us himself that he does not favor interior play because of what he perceives to be a lack of adequate size for legit post play. Simmons said that hed like to add an additional 15 pounds to get up to 240, which he could add without losing any of his agility. Simmons says that he favors the face-up game and it is no surprise as his perimeter shooting was outstanding and exceptionally stronger than his post work. But, Simmons length, touch, and quickness should allow him to be an effective post scorer against bulkier defenders because he wont have to back down an opponent to get off a clean shot. Especially when you consider how touch and physical he is down low on tape.
Overall, Simmons has outstanding upside on the NBA level as both a 4 and a 5. Simmons perimeter skills and mobility will allow him to defend most NBA power forwards with pure foot speed, while his length will enable him to play effectively against the tweener forwards because hell be able to play a step further off and still challenge the shot. With a bit more size and strength, Simmons should also be able to adequately defend the center position much like Samuel Dalembert does for Philadelphia, by using timing and superior speed to challenge slower players inside. If Simmons develops a repertoire of interior moves to complement his face-up perimeter game, hell be a terror offensively. A 19 year old possessing the grounded demeanor and diligent approach to his craft should have a bright future. Everything he displayed spoke of an internal drive coupled with a humble and focused nature. Couple this with the tenacity and defensive mindedness he showed at NC State, and all the elements are there for him to develop into a complete player sooner rather than later.
Comments