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Ben Simmons’ year at LSU shows the worst of the one-and-done system

One of the worst parts of the Ben Simmons story is that it will color how other one-and-done prospects are viewed when many are nothing like him.

The more speaks about his lone season at , the clearer his legacy in college basketball becomes.

This year's No. 1 draft pick is a living, breathing monument to the hypocrisy of the flawed one-and-done system.

He arrived at LSU with little desire to achieve anything more than showcasing his talents to scouts. He stopped attending classes as soon as he had guaranteed his eligibility for the entirety of his freshman season. And he escaped punishment for it because LSU was more interested in profiting from his presence on its basketball team than making sure he received an education during his brief time on campus.

 In “One and Done,” a documentary about his path to the NBA that will air Friday on Showtime, Simmons grouses that for him college was “pointless” and “wasting time.”

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On This Day In UK Basketball History

On March 28, 1992, in what many called the “best NCAA Tournament game ever,” Kentucky takes defending NCAA champion Duke into overtime before losing 104-103 in the East Regional finals in Philadelphia. A last-second shot by Christian Laettner sends Duke to the Final Four, and breaks the hearts of Wildcat fans everywhere. It is Cawood Ledford’s last game as the “Voice of the Wildcats.”

 

On March 28, 1998, against Stanford, Kentucky rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit, then grabbed a 5-point overtime lead, before fending off the Cardinals to advance to the title game for the third straight season. Jeff Sheppard canned three long-range three-pointers - two in the final three minutes and one in overtime - en route to a career-high 27 points.

 

On March 28, 2014, unranked Kentucky beat No. 5 Louisville 74-69, in the 2014 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16.  Aaron Harrison buried a three-pointer from the left corner with 39 seconds left that put UK ahead to stay before 41,072 in Lucas Oil Stadium.

 

On March 28, 2015, No. 1 Kentucky defeated No. 8 Notre Dame, 68-66, in the 2015 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.  With its 37-0 record on the line, Kentucky trailed Notre Dame 59-53 with 6:14 left. UK rallied in front of 19,464 fans in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena and preserved its perfect season thanks to a crucial blocked shot by Willie Cauley-Stein and two game-deciding free throws from Andrew Harrison in the final seconds.

 

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