Photo Credit: Michael Dwyer/AP

Chauncey Billups Already Saw The Ben Simmons Dilemma Coming Before The 2016 NBA Draft

As you all know, Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers are in the midst of an ugly divorce. Their likely parting was initially triggered by Simmons’ performances in these past playoffs.

In 12 playoff games, Simmons only averaged 11.9 points per game and shot 34% from the free-throw line, missing 48 free throws in total. On the top of that, in the decisive Game 7 of their seven-game series against the Hawks, Simmons passed up a wide open shot that could’ve tied the game during the closing minutes.

His non-existent shooting and his passiveness offensively is one of the main reasons Simmons hasn’t been able to really propel into the NBA superstar league yet, where most people expected him to be by now.

New Portland Trail Blazers head coach and former NBA Champion Chauncey Billups though, already saw it coming. 

During a pre-draft interview in 2016, Billups even said that he wouldn’t draft Simmons with the No.1 pick.

“I don’t even know if I would take him with the #1 pick right now… He seems to be very passive, and that’s okay if you’re gonna be the 3rd or 4th best player on the team.”