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.