Switching to professional fishing! Simmons announces a pause in his NBA career: Returning without being at peak form is pointless

On December 24th Beijing time, Ben Simmons told reporter Spears that as he contemplates his future in the NBA, he plans to enter the world of professional fishing.

This 2016 NBA draft number one pick has become the controlling shareholder of the professional fishing team “South Florida Sailfish” through investment and now serves as the team’s operational manager.

Simmons last played in the NBA at the end of last season with the Clippers. Now a free agent, he still hopes to join a team in the coming months and return to the court. However, in the interview, he stated that his new venture into professional fishing has made him less eager to rush back to the NBA.

“I believe it’s more than just ‘joining a team,’” Simmons said. “If I were to play now, based on my skills, I could definitely keep up with the NBA pace. But I want to give my all to basketball. I think occupying a roster spot just to be on the court is meaningless, even selfish. Some players do that now, but that’s just how the league operates.”

“For me, I’m grateful not to be in a position where I have to fight for a contract immediately. I want to get my condition and physical form to the best level before competing. Otherwise, coming back would be completely pointless for me.”

Fans of the 76ers carry a lot of bitterness and resentment over Simmons’ turbulent past.

The 76ers went through a long and painful rebuilding phase, during which they fielded some of the worst lineups in franchise history. In the summer of 2016, holding the first overall pick, the team selected the talented LSU star Simmons, seen as proof that the “tank and rebuild” strategy was working—the fans believed all the hardships were worth it, expecting Simmons and Joel Embiid to become the twin pillars leading the 76ers’ championship pursuit for the next decade.

At first, everything seemed to be heading that way. In the 2017-18 season, when Embiid and Simmons were both healthy and playing together, the 76ers rose to become a strong team. Embiid was unstoppable in the paint, while Simmons delivered one of the most impressive rookie performances since Magic Johnson in the early 1980s.

Led by the duo, the 76ers made it to the playoffs with a bright future ahead. But after that, the team never managed to break through further.

Simmons needed to develop a reliable shooting touch to advance his game, but he never achieved this. During his tenure, the 76ers never passed the second round of the playoffs (which remains true to this day). His infamous missed layup in the Game 7 against the Hawks in the 2021 playoffs, combined with the subsequent strike controversy, accelerated his departure. Eventually, he was traded to the Nets in the deal involving James Harden.

Afterward, Simmons suffered persistent back injuries that prevented consistent play. The Nets bought out his contract in February last year, parting ways with him. Shortly after, the Clippers reached out, hoping he could regain his former level and contribute immediately to the team.

Since the end of last season, Simmons has been without a team. He revealed that during his downtime, he has been working hard to recover physically for a return to the court while also exploring this entirely new hobby.