There was never any doubt about Ben Simmons' talent. He was too good, too skilled, too versatile, too intuitive. He wouldn't fail. The only real question, back before the 2015-16 season commenced, was what Simmons' success would look like. Where would he land on the Can't-Miss Wing Talent Continuum? Would he be a once-in-a-decade force of nature? An above-average future pro with blooming left to do? Was he Kevin Durant or Harrison Barnes? And what did either outcome mean for LSU?

Through eight games, Simmons is averaging 19 points, 15 rebounds and six assists; he's shooting 50 percent from the field. His game is a walking, breathing best-case scenario, a mix of unstoppable athletic talent and brilliant basketball understanding and almost impossible passing polish. His reputation among NBA people has only grown; if he already was a surefire No. 1 overall pick, now he is a franchise-altering future All-Star.

Thus far, Simmons has landed far closer to the Durant end of the spectrum than even the most optimistic touts could have predicted. Thus far, one of the most hyped players of the past 10 years is even better than almost anybody thought. That's the good news for LSU.

The bad news, unfortunately, is everything else.

LSU, as you might have heard, fell 105-98 in overtime Sunday at Houston. Johnny Jones' team is now 4-4 overall. That record has not been the product of a young team adjusting to a challenging nonconference schedule. The two best games on LSU's schedule came in Brooklyn on Nov. 23 and 24, against Marquette and NC State. Neither team is ranked. Both might be headed to the NIT; both beat the Tigers. (Maybe it's worth qualifying that the Wolfpack won in overtime. Then again, when you lose by 11 in overtime, this kind of qualification loses persuasive power.) Then, on Nov. 30, LSU lost at College of Charleston 70-58.

In the interim came a win -- in which the Tigers gave up 108 points on their own floor to North Florida (!) and Simmons stepped up to score 43 points on 15-of-20 shooting with 14 rebounds, seven assists, five steals and three blocks (!!!) -- which, perceptually, might as well have been a loss.

Nor is the record the fault of injuries. Yes, senior guard Keith Hornsby missed the first seven games of the season, but he returned Sunday and scored 32 points. Simmons, by the way, had 13 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists. And LSU still lost.

The problems run far deeper than that. Freshmen Antonio Blakeney and Brandon Sampson have struggled as shooters, and neither has shown much interest on the defensive end of the floor. Tim Quarterman has been much better on offense, but not much better on defense. LSU's guards don't challenge perimeter shooters, like, at all: Only Detroit, Iona, Central Arkansas and Alcorn State are worse. The Tigers don't clean up their opponents' misses, either. LSU grabs just 32.8 percent of available defensive rebounds, which ranks 254th in Division I.

Normally, that number would be bad in and of itself. For LSU, it's downright criminal, because Simmons happens to be awesome at rebounding the basketball. His individual rebounding rate on the defensive end -- 30.7 percent! -- is the eighth-highest in college basketball. Simmons is grabbing a ton of boards. (He's also blocking shots and creating steals.) And his effort is going completely to waste.

That's the theme of the 2015-16 LSU Tigers thus far. With one of the most talented players of the past decade -- one who's not merely flashing his talent but unleashing it in the service of player-of-the-year-level production in his lone opportunity to do so -- LSU's chances of playing in the NCAA tournament are already dwindling in mid-December. And why? Because Simmons' teammates don't defend or rebound.

It should be impossible for a player to be this good while his team is this bad. Johnny Jones' Tigers are finding a way.

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