Ben Simmons is a three-time NBA All-Star and was, for a brief time, one of the best guards in the entire world. Injuries, lack of confidence, and a limited skillset have since caught up to him, and after nine seasons with three teams, his career could be over.
Simmons is yet to sign a contract and is contemplating retirement after earning $203.5 million, although not everyone wants to see him step away from the game.
Larry Kestelman, director of the Australian League, has made it clear that he would love to see Simmons return to Australia and make his NBL debut. However, not everyone in that league would be happy to see him arrive.
GettyLos Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons
2-Time NBL MVP Has Doubts About Ben Simmons
Before the NBA figured Simmons out, he was one of the best players in the league. However, he was exposed in the 2021 playoffs when it became obvious that he was not comfortable shooting free throws or really any shot outside of the paint.
On top of that, lingering back injuries caused him to miss an entire season, and coupled with confidence issues, he became a shell of himself.
While Kestelman would love the NBL to add another big name, not everyone thinks it would be a good fit.
“Would he dominate? Absolutely not,” NBL legend Chris Anstey said on September 24th’s episode of NBL Now. “I think that’s disrespectful to so many players in this league who are able to score the ball in a multitude of ways. He’s a very big guard who can handle the ball or a very small big, but I don’t think he would want to come and do that.”
The NBA has long figured out how to defend Simmons and expose his offensive weaknesses, and the NBL, which has plenty of elite players, would easily be able to do the same.
Simmons Can’t Tap Into His Talents
In his first four seasons, Simmons averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.7 assists. On top of that, he was one of the best defenders in the NBA. However, during that span, he made only five 3-pointers.
Since his elite stretch, he has averaged 5.9 points and 5.8 assists, often looking lost on offense. Is that really the type of player an NBL franchise would want to trot out as a centerpiece? Anstey doesn’t think so.
My biggest thing becomes, as a teammate, do you want to turn up and see Ben Simmons every day at training?” he asked. “And if the answer is no to that, how can you possibly become successful as a franchise, no matter how talented the player on your team?”
Anstey won three titles and earned two MVPs during his NBL career, so if anyone knows the ins and outs of that league, it would be him.
The NBL, like the NBA, has teams with their own cultures and identities. Unless Simmons can rejuvenate himself off the court, it’s hard to see him fitting into an established team, even outside of the NBA.
2-Time MVP Suggests He Wouldn’t Want to Play With Ben Simmons