during the first half at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee.,NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - MARCH 12: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers plays against the Texas A&M Aggies in an SEC Basketball Tournament Semifinals game at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia 76ers informed Ben Simmons on Tuesday that they plan to select him first overall at the NBA Draft on Thursday, Cleveland.com first reported.
Simmons, 19, has been projected as the No. 1 overall pick for some time and had a private workout with the Sixers on Tuesday -- the only such workout Simmons has done.
The Australian-born forward averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game in his freshman year with the LSU Tigers this past season. And he appears to be ready for the next challenge:
The 76ers are coming off four consecutive losing seasons, the last one a miserable 10-72. They last reached the playoffs in the 2011-12 season.
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