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An NBA prodigy turned bust has another career in mind.
Ben Simmons was named to three All-Star Games in his first five NBA seasons and was a defensive stalwart, but suddenly became a parody.
Simmons, still only 29, has not played this season but has been active elsewhere, purchasing an interest in the South Florida Sails Angling Club of the Sports Fishing Championship. Simmons grew up in Australia, where fishing was a regular activity.
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. (Mandatory credit: Darren Yamashita/Imagn Images)
“I’ve always believed that investing in what you love means you have a responsibility to help move it forward,” Simmons said in a statement. “Sport fishing has given me incredible experiences and SFC is creating a platform that treats offshore fishing like the elite sport that it is.”
Simmons told Andscape that SFC is the “LIV Golf” and the “F1” of fishing.
“The first real competitive sportfishing championship. It’s a 16-team league, growing and expanding. And so, we’re going to go out there and compete in different tournaments, and there will be a champion crowned at the end. It’s a points system. So, you fish for white marlin, blue marlin, sailfish, and striped marlin. There’s all different point systems for each,” Simmons told the outlet.
Brooklyn Nets injured guard Ben Simmons (10) during a timeout during the third quarter against the Atlanta Hawks at Barclays Center. (Brad Penner/USA TODAY Sports)
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“It’s a very specialized sport. And if you don’t know it, you don’t know it. But once you experience it and you see what it’s about, you’re kind of in awe of what this sport is. for days. So it’s tedious and difficult, but a lot of fun, it’s one of those worlds where you just have to experience it, immerse yourself in it and see what it’s all about.
Simmons, who was drafted first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2016, spent six seasons with them but did not play in two of them. He missed his rookie year due to injuries, and he missed the 2021-22 campaign due to injuries and toughness. With Philadelphia, he was a triple-double threat, averaging 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists.
He was then part of the blockbuster James Harden trade that sent him to the Brooklyn Nets, where the fade officially began. With Brooklyn, in 90 games over four seasons, he averaged 6.5 points, 6.3 assists and 6.2 rebounds.
Ben Simmons of the Brooklyn Nets prepares to shoot a free throw against the Philadelphia 76ers during a preseason game on October 3, 2022 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Simmons played in 18 games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season, and those numbers were cut by more than half.
