LSU benched Ben Simmons because of his academic record

HE’S the hottest property in college basketball and a future NBA star, but he’s not exempt from the standards us mere mortals have to follow.

GAINESVILLE, FL - JANUARY 09: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers looks on during the game against the Florida Gators at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center on January 9, 2016 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)

AUSTRALIAN star Ben Simmons was benched early for “academic reasons” as his Louisiana State team slumped to an 81-65 college basketball loss to Tennessee.

Expected to be the No.1 NBA draft pick in June, freshman Simmons was surprisingly left sitting on the bench for the first four-and-a-half minutes of Saturday’s match.

“We had to address some academic stuff with him earlier in the week,” explained LSU head coach Johnny Jones.

“This is just one of the attention getters for him.

“We’re hopeful that this will help get him focused and concentrated on what he should be doing.”

Simmons has a bright future.

It was initially thought the young gun was facing the prospect of being benched because he was struggling with a finger injury on his shooting hand — something that had been nagging him for some time.

Maybe he can use that as an excuse for struggling to hold a pen and take notes — it’s more believable than a dog eating his homework. We think.

The 19-year-old Simmons went on to score 21 points and pull down nine rebounds in his 36 minutes on court.

However, he also reportedly appeared lacklustre at times and gave up eight turnovers, matching his season high, as the Tigers’ season record slipped to 16-11, and 9-5 in south eastern conference matches, denting their chances of making the NCAA tournament.

It was a disappointing day for Simmons who has shown his exceptional promise this season, averaging 19.3 points, 12.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists before Saturday and playing a key role in wins over powerhouses Kentucky and Texas A&M and a two-point loss to No.1 ranked Oklahoma.

— with AAP