Ben Simmons is no longer the consensus top pick in this year's NBA Draft.
Duke University's exciting 18-year-old small forward Brandon Ingram has leapfrogged the Australian on some of America's top mock draft boards.
NBA scouts and draft analysts are questioning the Melbourne 19-year-old's standing after he failed to lead Louisiana State University to an invite to this week's 68-team end-of-season NCAA Tournament.
Simmons' 19 points, 12 rebounds and five assists per game at LSU were impressive, but questions have emerged about his lack of inner fire and refusal to shoot jump shots.
"He has to play with a little bit more fire," former New York Knicks head coach Jeff Van Gundy said in an interview on ESPN's Los Angeles radio station.
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DraftExpress has marked 18-year-old Ingram first on its mock draft, with Simmons slipping to second.
Yahoo!'s The Vertical's mock draft agrees.
"In the minds of many, Ingram has surpassed Simmons," The Vertical's Jonathan Givony wrote.
ESPN's influential Chad Ford still has Simmons as his number one, with Ingram two, but says scouts and reporters who cover draft prospects have their doubts.
"As Ben Simmons walked off the court Saturday after LSU's embarrassing 71-38 loss at the hands of Texas A&M, a question came to mind for many of us who scout and cover draft prospects," Ford wrote.
"Is this guy really the No.1 pick in the draft, or did he throw away his shot?"
Simmons, who is expected to sign with LeBron James' management agency, could benefit from going number two.
If the perennial cellar dwellers, the Philadelphia 76ers, get the number one pick in the NBA Draft Lottery and use it on Ingram, Simmons would then have a significantly better chance to be taken by his favourite NBA team, the big market Los Angeles Lakers who currently have the second-worst NBA record.
Simmons would be reunited at the Lakers with his high school teammate and last year's number two pick, point guard D'Angelo Russell.
DraftExpress has California's small forward Jaylen Brown third, then Bosnia and Herzegovina big man Dragan Bender and Providence point guard Kris Dunn fifth.
The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on May 17 and the Draft is scheduled for June 23.
