NEW YORK - The future arrived wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and pocket square, a man dressed for business among a room full of other young men who dressed for the prom.
The only allowance Ben Simmons made to style as he ascended the stage on Thursday night was a squarely knotted tie the color of solid gold. That's an understandable, if understated, choice for the first pick in the NBA draft. Simmons, selected by the 76ers, went from amateur status to a professional contract that will pay him between $5 million and $6 million in his rookie year alone.