Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith break down Ben Simmons

TWO of America’s most high-profile sports commentators have torn into Aussie basketball star Ben Simmons.

BATON ROUGE, LA - JANUARY 13: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers shoots a free throw during the second half of a game against the Mississippi Rebels at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on January 13, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU defeated Mississippi 90-81. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

WELL Ben Simmons, it looks as though you’re there.

You haven’t truly made it in American sport until you’ve had ESPN First Take talking heads Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith get their jockstraps in a twist about something to do with your game.

But the Aussie basketball prodigy, who continues to divide opinion during his first college season at Louisiana State University, ticked that box this week.

Simmons’ team lost an important home game against SEC rival Alabama on Thursday. Simmons had 20 points on 5/10 shooting and 10 rebounds, but the 76-69 defeat had Skip and Stephen A. pondering whether the forward expected to go number one in this year’s NBA Draft is overrated. This is what they had to say.

Skip Bayless: “If we’re talking about the next LeBron James, the next ‘it’ player in the NBA? Yeah, he’s definitely overrated. Because I keep watching and waiting and watching and waiting, and this young man — who seems like a fine young man — just befuddles me more and more. I don’t see the motor, I don’t see the intensity, I don’t see the passion, I don’t see the killer will, I don’t see the takeover intangibles. I keep waiting for Ben Simmons to be Ben Simmons — and he just isn’t it.

“Here I am and I’m criticising this poor (19-year-old) freshman. He’s a freshman in college. But I hear so much. He is the consensus number one pick in the draft. He is the next ‘guy’ in the NBA. And I say ‘well wait a second!’. I read John Gasaway’s report yesterday on ESPN.com in which he ranked 50 college players’ impact in March. He ranked 50 of them. Now this is the consensus number one pick. And Ben Simmons on his list was 33rd in his projected impact in March. 33rd! And this is the next LeBron James? And his capsule said ‘He is the consensus number one NBA pick and it would be tremendous theatre to see him on this stage in March’. As if there’s doubt about it. Well ... there is doubt.

“His team is 16-10. They’re pretty good in the SEC, they’re second to Kentucky at 9-4. They won at Alabama and then they lost at home to Alabama last night. And I haven’t seen any jump shot from Ben Simmons but I did see free throw shooting. And lately it’s been hot and cold. And last night it was very cold, he made 10 out of 19 free throws. To his credit he went out on the court after the game and practised his free throws. Way to go kid.

“He’s got the LeBron vision and passing gift, we get that. His numbers are very good. 19 (points), 12 (rebounds) and five (assists per game). Those are very good numbers, obviously. Are they LeBron-esque numbers? Not to me. Now, I’m being forced by all the hype and hoopla to compare him to greats at that age. I saw LeBron play in high school — we all saw it — and just said ‘that’s it man, look at this’. He was just terrorising these kids in high school and he stepped right out on the floor at Sacramento in game number one in the NBA and you remember what happened (James scored 25 points). You just knew, he’s that guy. I don’t know what’s ticking inside Ben Simmons right now, and somebody’s going to have to make a hard call with that number one pick.”

There’s no doubting Simmons’ ability to take the ball to the hoop.

Stephen A. Smith: “It is going to be a hard call. You know me, I said there’s nothing to speak about because Ben Simmons is the truth. He’s (208cm), he’s about (109kgs), he’s got a beautifully nasty handle, he can pass beautifully. His basketball IQ is up there. But I gotta sit there and tell you, I’ve been watching him lately and I agree with you. The fire in his belly, the go-get-it kind of mentality. The put the ball and the game in my hands and get the hell out the way and I’m going to get it done for you ... I don’t see that guy. I see a guy that’s relatively passive. But I’m also not just going to put it all on him.

“Johnny Jones at LSU — with all due respect — sir, I am not impressed with you. Ben Simmons has attempted three three-point shots the entire year. He’s made one of them. He almost never shoots a perimeter shot. My God, sir, can you let this guy shoot a jumpshot? Can you encourage him to pull up from the free throw line? Or the elbow? Can he show the world what level of range he has?

“We know he can handle, we know he can pass, we know he’s a presence in the post, we know his IQ is there, but we’re not seeing whether or not he has an arsenal. I’m looking at the pieces around him ... I can understand if you’re one of several (talented players on the team). If your (legendary North Carolina coach) Dean Smith and you’ve got (Michael) Jordan with James Worthy and Sam Perkins and everybody on the (1981-82) squad. I can understand it.

“I mean (Keith) Hornsby? (Tim) Quarterman? I mean these guys (Simmons’ teammates) can play, don’t get me wrong, but they are on a considerably lesser level than Ben Simmons. He starts the season against McNeese State and takes seven shots. He goes against North Carolina State, he takes six shots ... He goes against Houston, he takes seven shots. Against Wake Forest, he makes five shots, but only attempts eight shots. Remember what he did against Kentucky — he only took five shots, and hit all of them. I’m looking at these attempts and thinking ‘what the hell is going on?’

“He shoots 56 per cent from the field but he’s taking minimal shots ... what on earth is going on? Johnny Jones the coach of LSU, can you do me a favour please and start coaching this young man? And start bringing it out of him. And making sure you get this guy to be more aggressive. Because LSU is not good enough to make any noise without Ben Simmons elevating his game to another level. You haven’t surrounded this dude with All-Americans.

“I’m not saying the man can’t coach. The man can coach, he has a good winning percentage at LSU ... I am accusing him of not coaching Ben Simmons as well as he can. Because I need to see more from this kid.”

ESPN First Take also polled its followers on Twitter if Simmons was overrated. For the record, 54 per cent said no.