Getty Ben Simmons dunks the ball during a May 3 game against the Chicago Bulls.
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers promised to do the “right type of work” to fix Ben Simmons’ flailing jumper this offseason. Could it be something as simple as switching his dominant shooting hand from left to right? Apparently, that is one “radical” change on the table.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Simmons has committed himself to “skill development” this summer and improving his free-throw shooting is at the top of the list. Rivers talked about wanting to get Simmons to the charity stripe at least 10 times per game while vowing to get in the gym with him.
He wouldn’t go into detail on what the two would be working on, but Windhorst revealed that the All-Star point guard is ambidextrous so switching from left to right makes sense. He told Philly native Kevin Negandhi the following on SportsCenter:
He’s going to focus this summer on skill development, and one of the things that I have been told is on the table — hasn’t been decided but is on the table — is examining whether he changes his dominant shooting hand from left to right. Now that is a radical thing to do.
He is ambidextrous. He does do some things in his life right-handed so it isn’t insane. And there are some statistical measures that show he’s not bad at shooting with his right hand but that’s obviously a big change and would take some serious time to implement. But Ben Simmons is going to get serious about trying to address this in his months off coming up.
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Simmons: ‘Supposed to Be Right-Handed’
Simmons admitted that he was “supposed to be right-handed” during the pre-draft process. His dad, David, has been credited for teaching Ben to shoot with his left hand despite his natural instincts to go right.
And his former Sixers teammate JJ Redick stated that Simmons’ form is actually better when he takes right-handed shots. Here is what the New York Daily News wrote in a 2016 profile:
Ben credits his dexterous displays to his father’s sleight-of-hand demands during his childhood’s developmental stages. Father told son to dribble and shoot lefty. At LSU, Ben fires all jump shots left-handed with ease, but finishes right-handed at the rim most often.
“I think I was supposed to be right-handed,” Ben says. “It’s all-natural now.”
According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor, Simmons released the ball using his right hand on 67 shots this postseason, compared to just nine shots with his left hand. And 70-percent of his career shots, including college, have been righty.
Simmons heavily favors his right hand on hook shots from the post, floaters, layups, and dunks. He’s a righty, and has far better touch with that hand. There is undeniable potential, which is why former coaches and teammates have encouraged him to make the switch. It’s up to Simmons whether he will explore the limits of his game or not.
Simmons Plans to Skip Tokyo Olympics
Multiple reports suggest that Simmons will opt out of the Tokyo Olympics. He was considering a run with Team Australia — ranked No. 3 in the world — but it appears he might stay in Philadelphia and work on his all-around game. Members of Team Australia had been scheduled to meet in Los Angeles this week to begin training.
Ben Simmons is doubtful to play for Australia in Tokyo Olympics, sources said. Will spend offseason working on skill development. Aussies scheduled to begin training this week in L.A.
Sixers president Daryl Morey told reporters on Tuesday that it made no difference to him whether Simmons played in the Tokyo Olympics. He trusts the player to make the best decision, although he wouldn’t discourage it.
“I think it could, frankly, enhance his game,” Morey said. “There’s skill work, but then playing games is helpful.”