Ben Simmons

Ben Simmons

28-Year-Old GuardG
Brooklyn Nets  NBA  
Brooklyn Nets
Out
Injury Back
Est. Return 11/8/2024
2024 Fantasy Outlook
As we have come to expect, predicting how many games Simmons will play this season is a fruitless experience. He suited up 15 times during the 2023-24 season before back surgery put an end to his campaign. It's been his back that has given him the most bother over the past few seasons, something that could realistically cut his career short if we're being honest. As we have also come to expect, word from inside the Brooklyn camp leads us to believe Simmons will enter the season healthy. While this may lead us down a path of disappointment once again, it is enough to tease and tantalize fantasy managers, given his intriguing skillset. The Nets are likely to be a non-factor this season, something that could result in Simmons being given adequate opportunity to try and rebuild his career. Factoring in all the risk that comes with drafting Simmons, only those with no fear would consider taking him inside the top 120. However, considering him as a last-round flyer, much like the past few seasons, is something to consider given the per-game upside. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Current Season
From Preseason
#141
ADP
$Signed a five-year, $169.65 million contract extension with the 76ers in July of 2019. Traded to the Nets in February of 2022.
Personal Bio/PreCareer Summary

Benjamin David Simmons was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, to David and Julie Simmons. His father played college basketball for Oklahoma City University in the United States and later joined the Melbourne Tigers in Australia's National Basketball League. Simmons has five brothers and sisters: Melissa, Emily, Liam, Sean and Olivia. He began playing basketball at the age of seven for the Newcastle Hunters' under-12 representative team. In January of 2013, Simmons moved to the United States to attend and play basketball at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. The following year, Simmons averaged 18.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game as a junior. He led Monteverde to a 28-0 record and a victory in the High School National Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Simmons took home MVP honors, tallying 24 points and 12 rebounds in the championship game. In his senior season, Simmons averaged 28.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.6 steals per game while shooting 70.7 percent from the field and recording 24 double-doubles. He was then named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year and the Gatorade National Player of the Year. Simmons was also chosen to play in the annual McDonald's All-American Game and was named the Morgan Wootten Award winner, given annually to the best male McDonald's All-American player who exemplifies outstanding character, exhibits leadership, and embodies the values of being a student-athlete in the classroom and in the community. In addition, Simmons was tabbed Mr. Basketball USA and named a First-Team Parade All-American. Simmons has been involved in numerous charitable causes since joining the NBA. He holds annual basketball camps in both Australia and the United States to teach basketball skills to children and young adults. Since 2018, Simmons has hosted "Coats for Kids," an event organized to provide every student at a Philadelphia elementary school with a coat for the winter. In 2020, he took part in the #AllInChallenge, raising funds for food-related charities such as Feeding America, Meals On Wheels, World Central Kitchen and No Kid Hungry. Learn more about Simmons by following him on Twitter (@BenSimmons25) and on Instagram (@bensimmons). Even before he stepped onto the court in Baton Rouge, Simmons came with quite a reputation. The 6-foot-10 lefty forward was rated as the top prospect in 2015 and had led Montverde Academy to a high school national tournament title. Statistically, Simmons had an excellent season. He averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.0 steals, but the Tigers did not surround the prized forward with enough perimeter shooting to help the team be more successful. The forward showed his array of skills with games such as 43 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and five steals in a win over North Florida. He also had 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a win over Oral Roberts. LSU went 11-7 in SEC play, but it lost in the second round of the SEC Tournament and were not invited to the NCAA Tournament. Simmons was named SEC Rookie of the Year, All-SEC First Team, and a First Team All-American. After one season with LSU, Simmons applied for the 2015 NBA Draft and was chosen with the first overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers.

Officially out Monday
GBrooklyn Nets
Back
November 4, 2024
Simmons (back) has been ruled out for Monday's game against the Grizzlies.
ANALYSIS
As expected, Simmons won't play in the second half of Brooklyn's back-to-back set after posting four points (2-4 FG), six rebounds, six assists and a steal in 24 minutes during Sunday's loss to the Pistons. This marks Simmons' second absence of the season, both coming during back-to-back sets, and he remains on a minutes limit when healthy, playing between 24 and 26 minutes in each of his first six appearances this season.
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Stat Review
How does Ben Simmons compare to other players?
This section compares his stats with all players from the previous three seasons (minimum 200 minutes played)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
  • True Shooting %
    An advanced statistic that measures a player's efficiency at shooting the ball that takes field goal percentage, free throw percentage, and three point percentage into account.
  • Effective Field Goal %
    A statistic that adjusts field goal percentage to account for the fact that three-point field goals count for three points while field goals only count for two points.
  • 3-Point Attempt Rate
    Percentage of field goal attempts from three point range.
  • Free Throw Rate
    Number of free throw attempts per field goal attempt.
  • Offensive Rebound %
    An estimate of the percentage of available offensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
  • Defensive Rebound %
    An estimate of the percentage of available defensive rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
  • Total Rebound %
    An estimate of the percentage of available rebounds a player grabbed while they were on the floor.
  • Assist %
    An estimate of the percentage of teammate field goals a player assisted while they were on the floor.
  • Steal %
    An estimate of the percentage of opponent possessions that end with a steal by the player while they were on the floor.
  • Block %
    An estimate of the percentage of opponent two-point field goal attempts blocked by the player while they were on the floor.
  • Turnover %
    An estimate of turnovers committed per 100 plays.
  • Usage %
    An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while they were on the floor.
  • Fantasy Points Per Game
    NBA Fantasy Points Per Game.
  • Fantasy Points Per Minute
    NBA Fantasy Points Per Minute.
True Shooting %
63.0%
 
Effective Field Goal %
61.5%
 
3-Point Attempt Rate
0.0%
 
Free Throw Rate
15.4%
 
Offensive Rebound %
4.8%
 
Defensive Rebound %
25.1%
 
Total Rebound %
14.6%
 
Assist %
34.9%
 
Steal %
1.2%
 
Block %
2.8%
 
Turnover %
23.6%
 
Usage %
14.1%
 
Fantasy Points Per Game
23.0
 
Fantasy Points Per Minute
0.9
 
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How are these ratings calculated?
Our historical fantasy ratings are standard scores calculated using 8-Category settings with 12 teams and 13 players per team.
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Average Fantasy Points
Average Fantasy Points are determined when Ben Simmons was active vs. non-active during the season. Click here to view average fantasy points for a different time period.
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Ben Simmons See More
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10 days ago
Mike Barner highlights his favorite early-season waiver wire adds, including Dyson Daniels, who had an impressive performance in his Pelicans debut and should see more usage in Dejounte Murray's absence.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
Simmons' status has been one of the biggest stories in the NBA over recent years, and it's hard to figure out what's happened to this former All-Star. Some people say it's injuries, and others say it's confidence, but the fall-off is one of the most drastic in the NBA in recent memory. The 2016 top pick averaged 16.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks in his first three seasons. That's a fantastic fantasy statline, but something has changed since then. Simmons has only played 100 total games over the last three years, averaging 10.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game. His unwillingness to shoot the ball has been a massive discussion over recent years, with Simmons averaging just 5.6 shot attempts per game last year. The confidence is gone for this former All-Star, which doesn't pair well with knee and back issues. Valuing him is nearly impossible because he could return to the stud we saw through his first three years or continue to be the shell we've seen over the last three years. He's still just 26 years old, though, and there are plenty of opportunities for him in a Brooklyn offense that desperately needs a ball-handler and distributor. Look for Simmons to fall to the end of your draft, but there aren't many better punt plays with a higher upside than this Aussie.
Simmons missed all of last season. He cited mental health issues as the reason he sat out while still a member of the 76ers, and once he was traded to the Nets for James Harden, a back issue kept him out for the remainder of the year. The back injury required surgery, but he'll reportedly be ready for the start of camp. It's understandable if fantasy managers are cautious this season when considering Simmons. His commitment to basketball is under fire, and he's in a new team environment surrounded by two high-usage stars in Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The last time we saw Simmons, he had his worst fantasy season, ranking 66th in per-game production behind averages of 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.6 steals in 32.4 minutes. He ranked an impressive 19th in 2019-20, largely due to his league-leading 2.1 steals. It seems fair to expect Simmons to have his worst fantasy season yet this year. Durant and Irving will be the primary options, and Simmons may end up in a more complementary role with fewer assists and points than ever. Optimists may think Simmons sees time at center and has a nice bounceback campaign with floor spacing around him -- maybe some more rebounds and blocks. It's simply hard to gauge what's in store for the 26-year-old, who is clearly at a crossroads in his career. At some point, it's worth the risk, but filling out a safe floor of players before gambling on Simmons is the smart call.
For a 25-year-old coming off of his third consecutive All-Star appearance, Simmons' stock couldn't be much lower. Thanks to an embarrassing flame-out in Round 2 against Atlanta -- a series in which Simmons had four single-digit scoring games and missed two-thirds of his free throws -- the former No. 1 overall pick finds himself at a career crossroads. As of late-August, he's still a member of the 76ers, but the team has not-so-secretly shopped him around to every GM who will take Daryl Morey's calls. Given how last season ended, it's hard to imagine Simmons isn't donning a new uniform by Opening Night, and there's a strong case to be made that a change of scenery would be in his best interest. For fantasy purposes, it's difficult to project what Simmons' season could look like before we know where he'll play. But he's been remarkably consistent through his first four years in the league, generating elite counting stats -- steals, in particular -- while killing fantasy managers at the free throw line and offering no three-pointers. Nevertheless, Simmons has three top-40 seasons and two top-30 seasons to his name, so if he eventually lands with a team willing to tailor itself around his strengths, Simmons could be set for a bounce-back.
Simmons continues to make incremental improvements to his game, and 2019-20 was a big year for him defensively. He averaged 2.1 steals and 0.6 blocks and was named to the All-Defensive First Team. Simmons' other averages of 16.4 points, 8.0 assists and 7.8 rebounds (six triple-doubles) helped him secure a Third-Team All-NBA selection, as well. Simmons was also able to improve his field-goal percentage (58.0) and free-throw percentage (62.1). Continuing to improve the latter will be crucial for Simmons to improve his upside as a fantasy asset past last season's rank of 19th (per-game, eight-category leagues). Simmons hit the first three-pointer of his career in 2019-20, but fantasy managers still shouldn't expect any real three-point production from him in 2020-21. There will be a new coach in place for the upcoming season, as coach Brett Brown was fired and replaced by Doc Rivers. That said, Simmons' role shouldn't change drastically, and we can still expect him to be the top option in Philadelphia with Joel Embiid.
Simmons backed up his 2017-18 Rookie of the Year award by making his first All-Star team in 2018-19. As a 6-foot-10 point guard with no shooting ability outside of the paint, he's one of the more unique players we've seen in recent history, and he's one of only 10 players in the three-point era to average at least 16 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal. Simmons naturally draws comparisons to Magic Johnson -- a tall, distributing point guard with limited shooting touch. That said, it remains to be seen what type of ceiling that type of player has in the modern NBA, where three-point shooting is emphasized. While Simmons didn't demonstrate much improvement from Year 1 to Year 2, he's already one of the best passers in the NBA and a dynamic finisher around the basket and in transition. That gives him a high floor moving forward, even if the fit between him and Joel Embiid is less than ideal. Heading into 2019-20, fantasy owners should not expect Simmons to develop a passable jumper (he was 2-for-25 from beyond 15 feet last season), but rather view that possibility as a bonus.
After missing the entire 2016-17 campaign after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons took the court for his highly-anticipated debut season. The 22-year-old missed just one game the entire year and helped take a very young roster to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Simmons' stuffing of the stat sheet made him an immediate hit in Fantasy leagues and he wound up averaging 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.7 steals across 33.7 minutes. That placed him 6th in the league in assists and 10th in steals, while he also notched 12 triple-doubles. Simmons does have some work to do with his shot, as defenses were able to pack the lane at times knowing the young star doesn't have a developed three-point shot. He took just 11 total three-pointers for the entire year and failed to get a single one to fall, so that is certainly a spot where his game can grow. Simmons also finished with a brutal 56 percent clip from the free-throw line, another thing to consider for those negatively impacted in rotisserie Fantasy leagues. Despite the few drawbacks, Simmons' solid first season immediately puts him into consideration for a top-20 pick in most leagues ahead of Year 2. As previously mentioned, there's a few places where Simmons needs to improve, but his overall ability to fill up the box score and potential to put up a triple-double on any given night, should bring him off the board early in drafts. The Rookie of the Year award winner could also take another step forward offensively with an offseason to work on his game and it's also worth it to note that the Sixers didn't bring in anyone this summer that threatens any of Simmons' workload or usage.
Simmons missed all of 2016-17 after breaking his foot in camp. Though he was cleared for contact in time, he remained sidelined through 2017’s Summer League. He is expected to be available before the start of the season, though the 76ers injury updates on their franchise prospects can be suspect – throughout 2016-17, in both the cases of Simmons and Joel Embiid, many injury updates and recovery timetables released by the team later turned out to have understated the significance of their injuries. Even if fully healthy, foot injuries to big men are scary, and his draft stock may falter due to fears of reinjury. In his only year at LSU, Simmons showed his unusual versatility by averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. The 6’10”, 240 pound player presents an unusual combination of skills, and it is therefore unclear what position he will end up playing most often at the NBA level. After being drafted as a power forward, the 76ers quickly announced that they would experiment with Simmons at point guard, as passing, vision, and playmaking are among his greatest strengths. However, the team then took point guard Markelle Fultz with the first overall selection in the 2017 draft. Additionally, while Simmons possesses the ball-handling and offensive leadership skills to be an option at point guard, he has a poor jump shot, a knack for rebounding, and he is the same size as many centers, including Al Horford and Clint Capela. Simmons is likely to see time at several positions, including small forward, in addition to point guard and power forward, as the 76ers try to determine where he fits best. Experimenting at different positions is good for his long-term growth, though it may cause inconsistencies in his night-to-night production. The 76ers have a realistic shot at the playoffs this season, which should lessen the extreme caution they have demonstrated over the past few seasons towards their elite prospects. Simmons should have opportunities to rack up significant minutes as part of a talented, complementary starting lineup that will likely feature Simmons, Fultz, Embiid, and J.J. Redick.
Since the 76ers decided to trade Andre Iguodala prior to the 2012-13 season and embrace a long-term rebuild, the team had failed to land the No. 1 overall pick in the previous three years, despite possessing a boatload of lottery picks. The organization's luck finally changed for the better in the 2016 NBA Draft, and the 76ers' brain trust needed little time to determine that Simmons was the player that they wanted to serve as the new face of the franchise. During his lone season at LSU, the Australian-born Simmons used his uncommon combination of size (6-foot-10, 240 pounds), athleticism and playmaking abilities to dominate the competition, averaging 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. He was especially breathtaking in transition -- both while running the break and finishing -- and excelled at drawing contact and getting to the free-throw line. While Simmons' jumper remains suspect and some talent evaluators have questioned his effort and intensity on the defensive end, there's still reason to believe that his immense physical gifts can overcome those deficiencies. The rookie was immediately slated to open his career as the 76ers' starting power forward, but after fracturing his foot during training camp, it appears the start of his NBA career will be delayed. It's uncertain how long Simmons will be sidelined, but once he's cleared to play, he could face minute or game restrictions temporarily before the 76ers allow him to go full bore. As such, those considering drafting Simmons in single-season leagues will have to determine if they can withstand a potential long-term absence, though the uniquely skilled forward's value in dynasty formats shouldn't be altered by the injury. Over time, Simmons figures to see more minutes at running the offense as a point forward, as the 76ers already boast considerable frontcourt depth with the likes of Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid and Dario Saric.
More Fantasy News
Available Sunday, out Monday
GBrooklyn Nets
November 3, 2024
Simmons (back) is available for Sunday's game against the Pistons, but the Nets plan to hold him out for Monday's matchup with the Grizzlies for lower-back injury management, Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.com reports.
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Iffy for Sunday
GBrooklyn Nets
Back
November 2, 2024
Simmons is listed as questionable for Sunday's game versus the Pistons due to lower back injury management, Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.com reports.
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Part of first unit
GBrooklyn Nets
October 30, 2024
Simmons will start Wednesday's game against the Grizzlies, C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News reports.
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Available to play
GBrooklyn Nets
October 30, 2024
Simmons (back) is available for Wednesday's game against Memphis, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports.
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Won't play Tuesday
GBrooklyn Nets
Back
October 28, 2024
Simmons has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against the Nuggets due to lower back injury management, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Ready for training camp?
GBrooklyn Nets
September 9, 2024
Simmons is recovering from a back injury but is expected to be ready for training camp, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
ANALYSIS
After playing just 15 games last season and undergoing back surgery in March, Simmons has been cleared for 5-on-5 and should be ready for training camp. Simmons is playing on an expiring contract, and his performances in the upcoming season will be pivotal to determining his future in the NBA. He can put up numbers when healthy, but he hasn't played more than 60 games since 2018.
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