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76ers take Ben Simmons with No. 1 pick in NBA draft

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, center, poses for photos with prospective NBA draft picks Buddy Hield, left, Kris Dunn, right, Ben Simmons, third from left, and Brandon Ingram, second from right, before the start of the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 23, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, center, poses for photos with prospective NBA draft picks Buddy Hield, left, Kris Dunn, right, Ben Simmons, third from left, and Brandon Ingram, second from right, before the start of the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 23, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

By Associated Press June 23, 2016 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – The Philadelphia 76ers selected LSU freshman Ben Simmons with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft Thursday night.

The 76ers grabbed the versatile 6-foot-10 forward from Australia who averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists to become the only player in SEC history to finish in the top five in all three categories.

He comes with some questions – he made only one 3-pointer – but too much potential for the 76ers to pass up with their first No. 1 pick since taking Allen Iverson 20 years ago.

The last No. 1 pick from LSU was Shaquille O’Neal – who will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame along with Iverson in September.