‘In awe of what the sport is’: Ben Simmons’ foray into ‘niche’ sport with NBA career in limbo

With his NBA career still in jeopardy, Ben Simmons has made a curious foray into a new sport: fishing.

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The Australian former no.1 overall draft pick isn’t on an NBA team in the month of December for the first time in his professional career as deep-seated back nerve issues have continued to plague his progress.

Rather, Simmons has recently become the new controlling operator of the South Florida Sails of the Sport Fishing Championship — a professional offshore saltwater fishing league comprised of 16 pro angling clubs founded in 2021.

“The way I see it, it’s like the new F1 (Formula 1) for fishing. The new LIV Golf for fishing,” Simmons told Andscape’s Marc Spears.

“The first real competitive sport fishing championship. It’s a league of 16 teams, which is growing and expanding … we’ll go out there and compete in various different tournaments, and there’ll be a champion crowned at the end. It’s a point-scored system.”

Simmons, the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in 2017-18 for the Philadelphia 76ers, last suited up for the Los Angeles Clippers for 18 games last season.

The now-free-agent averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists while with the Clippers.

The soon-to-be 30-year-old acknowledged his new venture was a tad left-of-centre but said: “It’s a very niche sport. And if you don’t know, you don’t know.

“But once you experience it and get out there and see what it’s about, you’re kind of in awe of what the sport is. And that’s just something I’ve always been interested in in terms of the sport of fishing. The technique.”

But make no mistake, Simmons is still planning on making a return to the NBA hardwood.

Spears reports Simmons has been stacking basketball, strength and rehabilitation workouts six days a week “in hopes of getting fully healthy for a return to action”.

But while Simmons knows he could contribute to a contender in the short term, the much-maligned guard-forward has placed a premium on his health.

“I don’t believe it’s just (about) getting on a team,” Simmons told Spears.

“So, if I were to play right now, I think I’d fit right into the NBA just given what I can do. But I want to give everything I can to the game.

“I don’t think there’s any point in just wasting a spot just to be out there. I think that’s a little selfish. And there are guys that do it now. But that’s what it is, the business.

“For me, I’m very blessed to not have to be in that situation where I need to fight right now. But I want to get to the best of my ability and physical peak to compete. Otherwise, it doesn’t really serve me any purpose.”