Philadelphia Uses First Draft Pick to Choose Ben Simmons

The Philadelphia 76ers selected LSU freshman Ben Simmons with the No. 1 pick Thursday night as the NBA draft opened with three straight freshmen. 

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. [[384217771, C]]

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. 

The Los Angeles Lakers, picking second for the second consecutive year, took Duke's Brandon Ingram, who averaged 17.3 points as the ACC freshman of the year. [[384203861, C]]

The Boston Celtics then began a busy night by picking California forward Jaylen Brown. Boston has eight picks in the two-round draft, starting with one it acquired from Brooklyn in 2013 in the deal that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Nets.

Previous NBA Draft Number 1 Selections:

2016_Ben Simmons, F, Philadelphia (LSU) 

2015_Karl-Anthony Towns, C, Minnesota (Kentucky) 

2014_Andrew Wiggins, G, Cleveland (Kansas) 

2013_Anthony Bennett, F, Cleveland (UNLV) 

2012_Anthony Davis, F, New Orleans (Kentucky) 

2011_Kyrie Irving, G, Cleveland (Duke) 

2010_John Wall, G, Washington (Kentucky) 

2009_Blake Griffin, F, Los Angeles Clippers (Oklahoma) 

2008_Derrick Rose, G, Chicago (Memphis) 

2007_Greg Oden, C, Portland (Ohio State) 

2006_Andrea Bargnani, F, Toronto (Benetton Treviso, Italy) 

2005_Andrew Bogut, C, Milwaukee (Utah) 

2004_Dwight Howard, F, Orlando (Southwest Atlantic Christian Academy, Atlanta) 

2003_LeBron James, G, Cleveland (St. Vincent-St. Mary HS) 

2002_Yao Ming, C, Houston (China) 

2001_Kwame Brown, F-C, Washington (Glynn Academy HS) 

2000_Kenyon Martin, F, New Jersey (Cincinnati) 

1999_Elton Brand, F, Chicago (Duke) 

1998_Michael Olowokandi, C, Los Angeles Clippers (Pacific) 

1997_Tim Duncan, C, San Antonio (Wake Forest) 

1996_Allen Iverson, G, Philadelphia (Georgetown) 

1995_Joe Smith, C, Golden State (Maryland) 

1994_Glenn Robinson, F, Milwaukee (Purdue) 

1993_Chris Webber, F, Orlando (Michigan) 

1992_Shaquille O'Neal, C, Orlando (Louisiana State) 

1991_Larry Johnson, F, Charlotte (UNLV) 

1990_Derrick Coleman, F, New Jersey (Syracuse)

1989_Pervis Ellison, C, Sacramento (Louisville) 

1988_Danny Manning, F, Los Angeles Clippers (Kansas) 

1987_David Robinson, C, San Antonio (Navy) 

1986_Brad Daugherty, C, Cleveland (North Carolina) 

1985_Patrick Ewing, C, New York (Georgetown) 

1984_Akeem Olajuwon, C, Houston (Houston) 

1983_Ralph Sampson, C, Houston (Virginia) 

1982_James Worthy, F, Los Angeles Lakers (North Carolina) 

1981_Mark Aguirre, F, Dallas (DePaul) 

1980_Joe Barry Carroll, C, Golden State (Purdue) 

1979_Earvin Johnson, G, Los Angeles Lakers (Michigan St.) 

1978_Mychal Thompson, C, Portland (Minnesota) 

1977_Kent Benson, C, Milwaukee (Indiana) 

1976_John Lucas, G, Houston (Maryland)

1975_David Thompson, G, Atlanta (North Carolina St.) 

1974_Bill Walton, C, Portland (UCLA)

1973_Doug Collins, G, Philadelphia (Illinois St.) 

1972_LaRue Martin, C, Portland (Loyola-Chicago) 

1971_Austin Carr, G, Cleveland (Notre Dame) 

1970_Bob Lanier, C, Detroit (St. Bonaventure) 

1969_Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, C, Milwaukee (UCLA) 

1968_Elvin Hayes, C, Houston (Houston) 

1967_Jimmy Walker, G, Detroit (Providence) 

1966_Cazzie Russell, F, New York (Michigan)