LSU forward Ben Simmons, whose talent is so immense and so well-documented that some corners of social media have already complained about fatigue, notched another double-double in an 83-72 overtime loss to North Carolina State on Tuesday night.
That's Simmons' fourth double-double in five games this season.
He followed his 20-rebound outing against Marquette on Monday with 16 boards against the Wolfpack. Already averaging 5.0 assists, he had a season-best 10 in the loss.
Oh, and just for good measure, he added three steals and three blocks too.
Great performance right?
Well ...
He left us wanting more.
Simmons is the best player in the class of 2015 -- and some have even argued the best talent since LeBron James. There's an assumption he'd be a little more self-centered.
He's not.
So instead of trying to score at will, he's more likely to put his effort into passing.
It's clear the 6-foot-10 Australia native hasn't quite figured out how to balance hunting for his shot and when to set up his teammates.
Simmons fouled out in overtime with four points on 1-of-6 shooting from the field. His lone basket came with 38 seconds left in regulation on a drive that tied the score.
He was fouled on the play but missed the ensuing free throw. Had he made it, maybe LSU would have escaped with a win and his scoring in this game wouldn't be an issue. But that would just be prolonging the inevitable.
Simmons didn't have a bad night shooting in a traditional sense, like his shots just weren't falling. More often than not, Simmons just didn't look to take the shot. It was like a continuance of the final possession against Marquette when he passed up a potential game-winner to dish to teammates.
Against the Wolfpack, he'd be on fast breaks penetrating the lane and pass it back out. He'd be on the perimeter in a half-court set and pass it into the blocks. He'd come off picks dribbling and still would rather dish than drive.
N.C. State played a part in that. Coach Mark Gottfried was willing to concede open jump shots to Simmons to prevent him from getting into the lane. His perimeter shooting is probably the least developed part of his game.
The only other time he didn't have double-digit shot attempts this season was in the opener against McNeese State when he went 4-for-7.
That shouldn't happen again. To truly help the team, Simmons has to be a little more selfish with his scoring.