His GPA is under 2.0.... That's just sad. He should really put more effort into his studies.

LOL academics doesnt mean much when your earning millions! If only he could of just got drafted out of highschool!

In reality is probably doesn't really matter. It just seems to me like it doesn't reflect on his character very well...even though he wouldn't have spent a year in college if he didn't have to.

Pretty unfair to consider it a slight on his character IMO.
Any time he spends studying is time he is wasting. The only book he should be picking up is "Basketball: The Andrew Gaze Way"

So he wasn't snubbed, he was ineligible.

Absolutely it says something of his character. What if he get injury issues next year, and is out of the league in 5 years... He could have a year of education under his belt, but the whole system is a joke anyway over there

Baller#3 LOL wont happen but if so could just go to the CBA who pay millions to ex NBA players. Having a 1 pick tag helps...

exactly ^ This is going to become more common in the future!

Exactly, why bother going the academic route if your not going to make the most of it. Hell he could of played in the NBL this season and still go No. 1 and make a bit of cash.

At the same time though, he is about to make $100 million from a shoe deal. He wouldn't of got that if he didnt play college basketball. So probably a good decision in the end.

Even with minimal effort, how hard is it really to maintain a GPA of 2.0 though?

I find it hilarious that people think he should even consider putting in an effort to attend classes. I could care less if he went to a single class - I love college sports, but the system is an absolute joke, and it's the 'player/students' themselves who usually suffer. The exception is the blue-chip NBA prospects like Simmons, so I think they should go out and there and milk it for all its worth.

Turn up to classes and you are almost guaranteed to get 2.0 GPA.

I'm sure when all is said and done, Simmons is going to really look back with a great deal of regret that he didn't show up for his meaningless classes in his one season at LSU.

It's a college award, the NCAA has lots of rules, you gotta follow the rules to get recognition in the NCAA.

Still, won't matter that much when he is in the NBA I wouldn't think...

At the end of the day, the system is what it is.
The "system", such as it works, "requires" that he do one year of college to showcase his talent. (Granted there are other avenues, but that seems to be the "accepted norm.")
His SOLE purpose in being there is to play the best basketball he can, and hence get drafted (plus endorsements etc.) So I don't see how focussing on that, rather than a meaningless one year of academia, means he lacks character.
Besides, who knows, maybe he's not academically talented? Maybe he's done the best he can in the time he had available.

I don't "understand" the American system. University should be where you go to get a tertiary education and start a career. Not somewhere you go to play sport. But it is what it is, and it's a huge part of the American sporting environment. You can't blame somebody for adapting to the system.

Meh, perhaps "understand" not the right word, but I was trying to think of something better than "I don't get".
Anyway, not my place to criticise their system, it is what it is, and it's been around for a long time.

My point is that if the "system" requires Simmons to spend a year at College, just so he can go on to play pro-ball, then you can't blame him for adapting to the system.
If he was a lesser talent, looking to become say an accountant by getting a "free" degree by playing college ball for 4 years, then that's a different situation all together.

He must have half a brain to get the score required in the SATS to make him eligible for college.

I don't think it is a secret that Simmons and Excum played the 'system' very well, to their advantage. The goal was the NBA, so you can't blame them for doing what they needed to in order to achieve their ultimate goal.

Also, you can't expect a system like the NCAA to change according to one kid or try to change every year to try and make people happy, they change their system too much already and let's face it the NCAA is a huge money making venture in its own right.

It's the amount of money they talk about over there that amazes me, we just don't have that kind of crazy $$$ talk in Oceania do we? Not in sport anyway...

Ben could have been a gun AFL player, stayed here and maybe offered a $500k contract or who knows, played footy and been recognised here as a potential 'champion' of our game.

Or, he could go to the US and multiply his earnings by a few more zero's...

Not a hard decision really!

All those things are important anon^, I won't argue there, however ones character is revealed and not taught at college. You are who you are, education can be learnt over many years and not just at college.

Opportunity as created for someone like this lad is not the same pathway for most...

I've spoken to people that attend Gonzaga and they say Sabonis can barley speak english yet his still getting better grades than BS?

Anon, you're preceding on the assumption that he was offered some great "opportunity" at College. Other than the obvious opportunity to play basketball.
I have heard that players on scholarships, bought in for their athletic abilities, are actively steered away from demanding courses (that would impact their training & playing ability) and instead are encouraged to enrol in generalist degrees with lots of filler units.

You're also assuming that his allegedly poor academic record is due to lack of effort.

Lots of assumptions made here actually, too many to be honest, you know what to 'assume' too often means don't you?

I see there has been more unfair treatment for Simmons today. Now also snubbed for March Madness.