A lot has happened to Ben Simmons since he was the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. Not much of it has helped his reputation as a basketball player.
Simmons had demonstrated remarkable ball-handling skills for a 6-10 player during his one season at LSU in 2015-16, and the Sixers looked at him as a versatile player who could provide favorable matchups against opposing players because of his size, reach and athleticism.
However, as his career has progressed, Simmons has rarely been able to show off his skills on a consistent basis. He was unable to play in 2016-17 because of a foot injury.
He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2017-18, and he followed by getting selected for three consecutive All-Star Games. He was also named to the All-Defense team twice.
While there were multiple positive developments, Simmons struggled with his shooting. He was not a threat from beyond the arc, and he also struggled from the free throw line.
He was unable to exceed 62.1 percent on his free throws, and it seemed that Simmons was hesitant to hold on to the ball in crucial situations because he didn't want to hurt his team by missing his free throws.
Simmons missed the 2021-22 season with a back injury and a holdout
Simmons did not play for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2021-22 season. He had a back injury and was also unhappy with his contract.
He appeared to be healthy and would practice on occasion, but he never thought he was well enough to play in that season.
A seeming reluctance to compete has left Simmons open to criticism in recent years from players, fans and media.
The latest salvo gave from noted commentator Stephen A. Smith of ESPN, who did not hold back when assessing Simmons' play in recent years.
“He’s lucky he’s not in prison for theft… I’m sure of all the places he could really get focused and zero in on his basketball prowess. He’s going to pick Miami?… He [doesn't] love the game.”
Since returning to competition, Simmons has fallen on hard times. He averaged 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists in 2022-23 while shooting 56.6 percent from the field and 43.9 percent from the free throw line.
The numbers were even less impressive in 2023-24. He averaged 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists last year while shooting 58.1 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from the free throw line.
He has made just 5 3-point shots while attempting 36 throughout his career. He has not made a shot from distance since the 2020-21 season.
Despite his lack of production, Simmons has been getting paid big money
Making matters worse has been the eye-opening amount of money that Simmons has been paid. Even though he has played just 57 games during the last three seasons, Simmons has been paid more than $105 million during that time frame.
Ben Simmons is also scheduled to receive $40 million in the 2024-25 season.
In many ways, he is the face of overpaid athletes who fail to deliver when they are paid shocking salaries.
Follow Us
Subscribe
