Ben Simmons, a player who was once selected first overall in a draught, has had a turbulent career thus far. Simmons was a three-time NBA All-Star and a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year when he was at the height of his abilities. At his worst,
Simmons has been perceived as an offensive liability, and both fans and the media have frequently questioned his mental toughness as a result of this perception.
Since being moved to the Brooklyn Nets in February from the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons’s role on the team has undergone a significant transformation. In light of the aforementioned, let’s take a look at how Simmons’ statistical productivity has been impacted since since he moved to Brooklyn.
Ben Simmons’ Stats In Philadelphia
Ben Simmons was selected first overall by Philadelphia in the 2016 NBA Draft, however he was sidelined for the entirety of his rookie year due to a foot ailment. However, he still shown playmaking, rebounding, and defensive qualities the following year, which helped him live up to the hype of being a No. 1 choice in that year’s draught.
During the 2017-2018 season, Simmons shot 54.5% from the field and finished with 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.9 blocks a game.
He also had a shooting percentage of 54.5%. Simmons was still deemed a rookie despite the fact that he did not play at all the previous year; hence, he was chosen as the NBA Rookie of the Year for 2018.
Many fans were thrilled about Simmons’ rookie season because they believed he had the ability to develop into an exceptional point forward. There was even speculation that Simmons may one day become a two-way player for Philadelphia comparable to that of LeBron James.
The fact that Simmons concluded his rookie season with a 3-point shooting percentage of 0 for 11 was the primary cause for concern regarding his shooting skills. The fact that he was still young led most people to believe that he still had room for improvement in his shooting.
Simmons’s offensive production did not much increase throughout the course of the subsequent three seasons he spent playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite this, he was an effective defensive-minded playmaker who contributed to the team’s success.
From the 2018-2019 season to the 2020-2021 season, Simmons recorded an average of 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. Moreover, he had a 56.6% shooting percentage.
Simmons’ poor shooting skills, on the other hand, remained to be a major obstacle for the Sixers. During his final three years in Philadelphia, Simmons had a three-point shooting percentage of just 21.7%, making just 5 of 23 attempts.
Because he wouldn’t even try three-point shots, Sixers supporters began to lose patience with him and question his commitment to the team. It was also becoming increasingly obvious that Simmons was not a suitable choice to be the co-star of Joel Embiid, the superstar big man for the Philadelphia 76ers.
After Simmons’ initial refusal to play at the beginning of the previous season, Philadelphia ultimately ended up moving him to Brooklyn in February. Simmons was part of a trade package that ultimately resulted in the Sixers acquiring superstar shooting guard James Harden.
Ben Simmons concluded his time in Philadelphia with an overall record of 178-97 during the regular season. Despite this, the Sixers finished with a record of just 19-15 in the postseason during Simmons’ time with the team, and they never advanced past the second round.
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Ben Simmons’ Stats In Brooklyn So Far
Ben Simmons, who did not appear in a single game for Brooklyn during the 2017–18 campaign, has since adjusted to playing a supporting role for the Nets during the current campaign.
Simmons has played in 21 games in Brooklyn and has compiled the following statistics: 8.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. Moreover, his shooting percentage is 61.1%. However, Simmons has only attempted one three-point shot for Brooklyn so far and has not yet made one of them.
When the Nets made the trade to acquire Ben Simmons, they probably had higher expectations for his level of output than this one. Despite this, the Nets have a record of 12-9 in games that Simmons has participated in and are moving in the right direction.
The overall record for Brooklyn is 19-12, and they are currently in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. In addition to that, they have won each of their previous six games, spearheaded by superstars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
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Ben Simmons’ Height Makes Him Fantastic On Offense
The offensive player, who formerly held the title of Rookie of the Year, is generally regarded as being below average. However, the primary reason behind this is that a large number of fans place a high priority on scoring, which is not an area in which Simmons shines.
However, the guard is exceptionally talented when it comes to running the floor, and his court vision is spot on. Ben Simmons, who is 6 feet 10 inches tall, has a significant height advantage over opponents on the perimeter, which enables him to control the tempo of the game.
The Nets guard is not known for his shooting ability, but due to his height, he is able to easily score points around the basket and overpower opponents there. During the 2022-2023 season, Simmons has attempted 126 field goals, 59 of which have come from inside three or four yards of the goal.
Incredible: Ben Simmons has a field goal percentage of 81.4% while shooting from close range. To put these numbers into perspective, Joel Embiid has made 77.9% of his shots at the rim this season, but Nikola Jokic has a shooting percentage of 77.5% from this distance.
When you take into account his remarkable court vision and his ability to pass the ball, you have a guy that is very difficult to keep under control.
