Possible No. 1 NBA pick Ben Simmons thinks he could play football for LSU

LSU football coach Les Miles jokingly offered the No. 1 basketball prospect Ben Simmons a role in the Tigers’ offense last week. Miles said the 6’10 hoops star is welcome to cross over to football if he desires.

What a magnificent player, and I just want you to know, so you know, if he’s interested in taking some snaps for us, he can come over. I’m very honest. And I can give him a goal-line position where I would throw it to him. All he’s got to prove to me is one thing is that he can catch.

Well news traveled fast (and all the way to Australia, his home country), where Simmons was quick to get Miles’ hopes up.

“I’ve heard a few things from Baton Rouge. Coach Miles, I can play wideout. I been waiting for my opportunity a little bit. Finally getting my opportunity to play football, so we’ll see what we can do,”

Nooooooo.

Relax though. Simmons may like to play football buuut he has one problem. He’d hate to wear a helmet.

“I’m not sure about the helmets, you know, I’m not trying to cover all this. We’ll see what happens when I get back, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Initially Miles suggested that because of Simmons’ athleticism and size, he could have one heck of a season at LSU. And this time he wasn’t joking:

“I AM serious — I am dead serious. All you have to do is get me anyone 6-9 and above and very athletic with ball skills, and I’m gonna guarantee it. Why would we run a run? Why wouldn’t we just throw it over there to that guy.”

Simmons is a freak athlete and likely could excel at football. That may not be the best idea, however, for the potential No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. His possible football career will have to wait until he returns to LSU. For now, he’ll keep doing this like this.

H/T Nola.com