Leading into the draft, LSU forward Ben Simmons and Duke forward Brandon Ingram were the consensus top two picks of the draft. Once the lottery was set, Philadelphia had to make the decision between the two, and the Lakers would take whoever Philly did not.

Simmons and Ingram look to be the players to build around for franchises that have fallen on hard times. For Philadelphia, Simmons brings the rare combination of height (6'10") and a Swiss army knife skill set. The selection of Ingram gives the Lakers a steady scoring option from the wing and a potential matchup nightmare, as a 6'9" player with shooting guard skills.