Does Ben Simmons prefer the Lakers? Don’t believe the rumors

The minute the Sixers were awarded the No. 1 overall pick in last week’s NBA Draft Lottery, the rumors started to swirl.

Budding superstar Ben Simmons, who has been filming a documentary about his high school and LSU playing days seems tailor made for Los Angeles, the owners of the second pick in the draft. But the 76ers hold the power sitting in the top spotand reports suggest they prefer the point-forward — who averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds as a freshman.

“Some people like to poison the well,” Colangelo said Sunday on SiriusXM Bleacher Report Radio. “We’ve got good relationships with the agent [Rich Paul] and with the family because Brett Brown has known Ben Simmons’ father for years.”

Brown coached Simmons’ father in Australia some years ago and the relationship seems to be key to the Sixers’vetting process.

Olgun Uluc, an insider forFOX Sports Australia also shares the same outlook — that Simmons would have no problem playing in Philadelphia.

The fourth biggest media market is nothing to sneeze at, and Simmons likely will come to realize (if he hasn’t already) that being the No. 1 overall pick in one of the biggest, most sports-crazy markets in America could bea pretty good fit.