As far as Ben Simmons is concerned, the Rookie of the Year award should be no contest.
The Philadelphia 76ers star said Saturday that he “100 percent” deserved the award — and that he hasn’t even been impressed with any of his competition.
“Who would I pick? Me, 100 percent,” Simmons told ESPN’s Chris Haynes. “I think I have been playing solid all year. If you look at the numbers, you will see. People who know the game know.”
Have any other rookies caught Simmons’s eye?
“None,” Simmons said. “I want to be where the greats are. So, for me, I watch the guys like [Kevin Durant], [LeBron James], [Stephen] Curry, Russell [Westbrook]. Guys like that. That’s where I want to be. I think for me, that’s what I love to watch.”
Simmons’s coach agrees with him, but they’ll have to watch for Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, who led all rookies in scoring and was a key part of the team’s late-season surge into the playoffs. Simmons may win the award, but it’s far from a slam dunk.
