Sixers’ Ben Simmons Seems to Care Very Little About NBA All-Star Votes

Getty Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons

Sure, Ben Simmons’ case to be voted into the 2019 NBA All-Star Game is pretty rock solid at this point. The Philadelphia 76ers star has put on an encore performance to his NBA Rookie of the Year campaign that rivals many other players. Although Simmons doesn’t land on the James Harden or Anthony Davis level of domination, he’s deserving of being named an All-Star.

Not surprisingly, though, that’s not exactly at the forefront of his mind as teams get set to begin the second half of the season. Instead, Simmons is a bit more concerned about making the playoffs and having a chance at an NBA title. While both of those things are obviously far more important to the young guard, he did say that if he’s playing at that level, an All-Star nod should probably come along with it.

After the Sixers’ win over the Washington Wizards Tuesday, Simmons was asked if anything less than an All-Star selection would be a disappointment.

“My priority is to get to playoffs and have a shot at a championship. If I’m playing at that level and were able to do that then, I think I should.” Simmons told reporters after the game.

Seems like a pretty fair assessment and one that’s hard to argue with. Even more importantly, we’ve seen the 22-year-old guard do more than just play at a high level, he’s actually played better than last season and is getting it done on both ends of the floor.

Ben Simmons’ NBA All-Star Resume

Although the focus for the Sixers guard may not be locked on the NBA All-Star game, his numbers point to a player who should be a lock. Through the 40 games he’s played this season, Simmons has averaged 16.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game. His scoring and rebounding numbers are both up from last season while the assists are flirting right around his rookie year average.

Arguably the most impressive aspect of Simmons’ game is that he’s scored more points while shooting the ball less. He’s made 57.4 percent of his field goal attempts and his strong play has pushed the Sixers out to a 27-14 record and they currently sit just three games back of first place in the Eastern Conference.

His efforts on the defensive end haven’t gone unnoticed either. Simmons has become a strong NBA defender, only adding to his All-Star resume. At the rate that he’s going and the impressive continued growth, there’s a reason to believe he could be looking at more than just an All-Star bid sooner than later.

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