76ers land No. 1 pick in lottery
Coach, Simmons have connection
The third time was the charm for the Philadelphia 76ers — and also for The Process.
Yes, the three-year stretch of rebuilding (or tanking, depending on whom you ask) has culminated in a No. 1 overall draft pick. Philadelphia, with the NBA’s worst record this season, had the best chance to land the coveted pick entering Tuesday’s lottery, and did just that.
Sixers executives celebrated inside the New York Hilton Midtown with hugs and cheers. “We deserved this,” they repeated to each other. The 76ers had the third overall pick in each of the last two drafts.
“The city has endured a lot over the past three seasons,” 76ers coach Brett Brown said. “Our fans deserve this. ... You just get a flood of memories when you hear you have the first pick. It just ties it all (together). I’m very thrilled for our organization.
“I never felt jinxed. I truly believe in what we’re doing. I feel like in many ways we’re being rewarded for our patience and per- severance — especially the city’s patience and perseverance.”
The top prize is quite valuable in this draft. Ben Simmons, the Australian star forward from LSU, and Brandon Ingram, the freakishly athletic forward from Duke, are considered gems of this class. There’s a clear drop-off afterward.
That meant Tuesday was a big night as well for the organization that landed the second pick: the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles, which had a topthree-protected pick, averted disaster (falling out of the top three and losing the pick entirely) and will get whichever star the 76ers do not select. The Boston Celtics drew the No. 3 pick, and the rest of the lottery went as the odds suggested; there will be no teams selecting out of order of how they finished the regular season.
Brown said he did not know whether his organization would choose Simmons or Ingram, though many in the league expect Philadelphia to take versatile Simmons.
Brown brought up a personal connection to Simmons on Tuesday that hadn’t been widely reported.
Brown coached Simmons’ father, Dave, when he worked as an assistant coach for the Melbourne Tigers in the late 1980s into the early ’90s. Brown also went on to coach the Australian national team.
“I coached Ben’s father a long time ago; I’ve known Ben since he was born,” Brown said. “I’ve known his family since the late ’80s. Just having that knowledge of where he was raised, understanding that culture — I also lived 17 years in Australia. There are a lot of different connections (related to that) that I think help make me better informed. This will help our organization make a more calculated decision. He’s obviously an extremely talented young man who comes from a great family.”