Will Simmons Be First Consensus All-American in 34 Years With Losing Mark?

By any measure, LSU has been one of the nation's biggest disappointments. If the SEC wasn't such a mediocre league, there would be more of a chance Tigers freshman phenom Ben Simmons earning national acclaim for a team finishing the season with a losing record. ACC standouts T.J. Warren of North Carolina State (22-14) and Rakeem Christmas of Syracuse (18-13) had the poorest team records among All-Americans the past couple of seasons. But they weren't losers resembling Earth Day hypocrites leaving behind a mountain of trash at a public setting ceremony.

LSU went out of its way to lure Simmons to campus (arena not classrooms). But circumstances are shaping up to where Simmons could be the first #1 overall pick in NBA draft since Michael Olowokandi (Pacific in 1998) to miss the NCAA Tournament. At least Olowokandi participated in the NCAA playoffs the previous campaign.

No prognosticator saw this possibility looming but Simmons may end up with the dubious distinction of joining LaRue Martin (Loyola of Chicago '72), Doug Collins (Illinois State '73) and Mychal Thompson (Minnesota '78) as the only #1 overall draft picks failing to appear in the NCAA tourney. It has been 34 years since a player from a team with a losing record (John Paxson of 10-17 Notre Dame in 1981-82) unceremoniously joined the following NCAA consensus All-American list including two Big Ten Conference players in 1954-55:

NCAA Consensus All-American	Pos.	School	Season	Record	Player Statistics
Frank Burgess	G	Gonzaga	1960-61	11-15	32.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg
Terry Dischinger	C-F	Purdue	1959-60	11-12	26.3 ppg, 14.3 rpg
Darrell Floyd	G-F	Furman	1955-56	12-16	33.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg
Robin Freeman	G	Ohio State	1954-55	10-12	31.5 ppg, 81 FT%
Otto Graham	F	Northwestern	1942-43	8-9	13.9 ppg
Don Hennon	G	Pittsburgh	1958-59	10-14	25.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg
*Bill Mlkvy	F	Temple	1950-51	12-13	29.2 ppg, 18.9 rpg
Max Morris	F-C	Northwestern	1944-45	7-12	15.4 ppg
*Calvin Murphy	G	Niagara	1968-69	11-13	32.4 ppg, 3.6 rpg
Johnny Neumann	F-G	Mississippi	1970-71	11-15	40.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg
John Paxson	G	Notre Dame	1981-82	10-17	16.4 ppg, 53.5 FG%
*Dave Schellhase	F	Purdue	1965-66	8-16	32.5 ppg, 10.6 rpg
Don Schlundt	C	Indiana	1954-55	8-14	26 ppg, 9.8 rpg

*NCAA consensus first-team All-American selection.