LSU freshman forward Ben Simmons is widely expected to declare himself eligible for the NBA Draft after the college basketball season ends, and some have him projected as the Number 1 pick. Because of his one-and-done status, Simmons probably didn't expect that a lack of effort in the classroom would cause any issues.
Simmons thought wrong.
On Saturday, Simmons was not named one of the 15 finalists for the John Wooden Award for most outstanding player in men's college basketball because he fell short of the minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average requirement for the award. Who said grades don't matter?
To top things off, LSU played their regular-season finale at Kentucky later that day. It was obvious that Wildcat fans got word of the news, as they mocked Simmons with a "GPA!" chant as he shot free throws in the first half.
Simmons played respectably despite the taunting, finishing with 17 points and 11 rebounds, but LSU lost to Kentucky 94-77.
H/T LBS.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
