SIXERS SELECT BEN SIMMONS, TIMOTHE LUWAWU-CABARROT AND FURKAN KORKMAZ in Draft

The Philadelphia 76ers selected forward Ben Simmons of Louisiana State University with the first overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft, presented by State Farm. The Sixers also selected Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (24) and Furkan Korkmaz (26) in the first round. Simmons is the third player in franchise history to be drafted first overall, joining Allen Iverson (1996) and Doug Collins (1973).

In his lone collegiate season at LSU, Simmons averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block in 35 minutes per game, each of which led the Tigers. Simmons was the consensus National Freshman of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year and was the only freshman named to the 2016 Consensus All-America Team.

Simmons was born on July 20, 1996 in Melbourne, Australia. He moved to the United States in 2013 and enrolled at Montverde Academy in Florida. There, Simmons would lead the Eagles to three consecutive National High School Championships. Following his senior season, he was named the Naismith National Boys Player of the Year and Gatorade National Male Basketball Player of the Year.

Simmons