Sixers Meet With No.1 Draft Pick, Ben Simmons

76ers hold first face-to-face meeting with ‎Ben Simmons.

The Philadelphia 76ers had their first face-to-face meeting with ‎presumptive No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons on Thursday, ESPN.com has learned.

Sources with knowledge of the meeting said Friday that new Sixers general manager Bryan Colangelo and coach Brett Brown -- in the latest signal Philadelphia plans to take LSU's Simmons with the first pick in next Thursday's draft -- headlined a contingent of team officials that ‎came to Cleveland to dine with Simmons and agent Rich Paul before Thursday's Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

The Sixers are impressed by the 20 pounds of muscle Ben Simmons is said to have added to his physique since the end of the college season. Frank Mattia/Icon Sportswire
The Sixers, sources said, came away impressed by the 20 pounds of muscle Simmons is said to have added to his physique since the end of the college season and viewed the meeting as the start of "building a relationship" with the player they are strongly expecteddraft.elect ahead of Duke's Brandon Ingram with the first pick next week.

Thursday's sitdown did not include any basketball work, but sources say that the Sixers are to date the only team that has been granted direct access to Simmons in the lead-up to the draft.

Marc Stein
ESPN Senior Writer

Houston standing out as Possible Choice as Baylor's, Tren'Davian Dickson Departs

Freshman wide receiver Tren'Davian Dickson is the latest to announce his intention to transfer from Baylor. The new front-runner for his services might be the Houston Cougars, reports Max Olson. Dickson told ESPN he has already returned home to Navasota, Texas, in the wake of Baylor's sexual assualt scandal.

Last November, Dickson flipped his commitment from Texas to Baylor. He then enrolled at Baylor in January and participated in spring practices. He is one of seven members of the Bears' 2016 class that has opted to leave. Dickson's situation is more complicated than others, notes Olson. Since Dickson has already joined the team, he must sit out the 2016 season, and Baylor has the right to restrict his transfer options.

"The former ESPN 300 recruit said he was told the staff will not permit him to transfer to another Big 12 program," writes Olson.

ESPN