You don’t know Ben Simmons. Would you like to?
The 28-year-old is often misunderstood. Let's change that.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Water is often seen as a symbol of purification.
For the LA Clippers’ Ben Simmons, it’s also where he feels the most at peace, reconnecting with a love of fishing that was taught to him by his father, Dave, when Simmons was a child in Australia.
“Living on the water as a young kid in Newcastle, New South Wales, [I] just was always intrigued by the ocean, water,” Simmons tells Russo Writes in a series of exclusive interviews with the 28-year-old. “Then, as a kid, just fishing, just techniques and using different lures, hooks, and things like that. So, probably from then, probably 6 years old, 7 years old.”
A basketball game can race around at a pace that blinds the eye, with each step and movement looking like a blur; the sea presents a different speed: one of patience and tranquility.
While Simmons’ love of fishing might come as a shock to you, it should be noted that there’s a lot you don’t know about the man.
“They don't see much,” Simmons says about the outside critics who have used the former No. 1 overall pick as a social media punching bag over the last several years. “But people always have their opinions.”
Simmons is cognizant of the negativity that people can spew, even if he doesn’t dip his toes into the social media world. However, impressively, he’s able to brush it off rather than be swept up in it, a hallmark of the mentality that he’s honed over the years to not let the little things weigh him down.
“Yes and no,” Simmons says when asked if it’s by design for him not to show people all that much. “A little bit of both. Maybe you can help me show people who I am better when we go through this.”
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IN EARLY OCTOBER, when Simmons was still a member of the Brooklyn Nets, his then-coach Jordi Fernandez did pregame media in the bowels of Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California. The venue, used by the Clippers’ G League affiliate, the San Diego Clippers, was newly built and hosting its first-ever basketball game, a preseason meeting between Fernandez’s Nets and the LA Clippers.
It was the first game of the year for the Nets, and the first time Simmons had a chance to play under Fernandez, Brooklyn’s new head coach.
As Fernandez answered a host of questions from fewer reporters in attendance than you can count on one hand, the topic turned to social media and its impact, specifically in regards to the negativity spewed Simmons’ way.
“I don’t have social media, I don’t look at social media,” Fernandez said. “At the end of the day, social media probably brings out the worst out of people because if you want to be heard, you have to say something negative. And always, one negative trumps 10 positives, and I think we are in a society that we should move on from this, or at least use it the right way. Otherwise, we’re going to go back to where people just don’t want any social media.”
When asked about his former coach’s thoughts on social media, Simmons doesn’t hold back.
“It’s another world, it’s another world. It's an escape for people, you know?” Simmons expresses. “Like, half the time if somebody’s gonna say something crazy to me in person, I’ll probably punch him in the face, you know? So, it’s like, it’s a barrier in a fake world or the world they live in, but yeah, that’s what it is. There’s a wall right there, so you can either live in it or you can separate yourself.
“If it was so positive, people would be like, ‘Yo, get on there!’” adds Simmons. “It’s not something, it’s not, it’s not a healthy thing. It’s not normal.”
In a lot of ways, when looking back at that preseason moment, it’s fitting Simmons ended up on the Clippers, especially considering the location in which Fernandez’s comments rang out.
The Clippers have become an organization that has seemed to yearn for rebuilding careers and revitalizing and rehabilitating people who came to them looking for one more spark—Reggie Jackson, Nicolas Batum, Isaiah Hartenstein, John Wall, Russell Westbrook, etc.
It’s a far cry from where Simmons’ career began as the No. 1 overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Simmons didn’t play in his rookie year after fracturing the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during the Philadelphia 76ers’ final training camp scrimmage.
But the years that followed were ones of success.
Simmons averaged 15.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and 1.7 steals on 56% shooting over his first 275 games in the NBA, spanning from 2017 through 2021. In addition, Simmons won Rookie of the Year, was a three-time All-Star, a two-time First Team All-Defense honoree, and made All-NBA Third Team once.
The path to superstardom appeared laid out before the multi-talented forward—until it got cut short due to a back injury and subsequent trade to Brooklyn.
“I just think maybe the expectation’s always just been what it was, regardless of the injuries, and I think, I don’t think people always get the full story, you know?” Simmons explains. “You hear about hamstring tears and ankles, rolled ankles, but for the back you never see, like, the back injury itself, until you, like, unless you’ve been around me, unless you’ve, you know, you’re with me day to day you just don’t know, so I get that side of it. But also, I think it’s just, like, what’s put out there, you know?”
THE SILENCE AT SEA can be deafening. But if one is willing to listen and learn, they can hone a lifetime of skills.
“I was only scratching the surface when I was younger. So, for me, realizing just so many different aspects of it and the places, ways to fish, types of everything, you know?” Simmons says of his love of fishing, his face beaming with each syllable he utters as he pictures himself nestled on top of the glistening water awaiting his next catch. “There’s just so much to it. I think that’s what always just kept me interested, and I always had a passion for it.”
That passion has led to some breathtaking moments, including what Simmons considers his prized catch: a 90-pound Amberjack.
“I got lucky because he hit the lure on the way down, so it was dropping and then it ate it,” Simmons says, smile widening as he pulls up the picture of him holding the massive fish on his phone. “But I would say that’s, that’s like, not many people catch those that big.
“I think it’s just so interesting that we don’t know what’s happening under the water, right?” Simmons continues. “So, I think it’s just the fact of like, it’s like a skill, it’s hunting. If you know how to do it properly, and you know different methods, you may have a higher rate of catching certain fish. But yeah, I’d say that was like, the Amberjack’s probably my [biggest catch]. That’s a strong fish. It feels like it’s a 200-pound fish. It’s a strong fish, so that's probably the biggest one.”
Simmons has parlayed that love of fishing and the water into creating his own fishing company: Reel One Fishing Club.
“I’m into fashion, and I fish. And I think that’s, I mean, you don’t see many people, many clothing companies have that, both have the style,” Simmons mentions. “So, all of that stuff that we have is you can use it fishing, weatherproof, waterproof, sunproof, colors, fits, winter, summer, so we have everything, and I think it’s just a unique spot for me because I love fashion and I fish. So, I just put it together.”
In talking with Simmons, you realize there’s a lot more than meets the eye.
Like with anyone, you don’t know how it’ll be received when you walk up to strike a conversation. There’s that initial hesitation that perhaps they won’t be accepting of the overture.
That wasn’t the case with Simmons, who allowed himself to be open and vulnerable.
Simmons tells me that when the season ends, he’s usually on his boat most of the time. “I like to travel,” he says. “I like to be in the ocean and explore. I’d say that’s probably one of my hobbies: exploring.”
The 28-year-old is a unique figure once you spend the time to talk to him, and you realize there’s a deeper person buried within that the rest of the world hasn’t been able to see, whether through his own doing or the fact that few have simply asked.
He’s a dog person, sporting four fur babies that he holds near and dear to his heart.
“I got two [Cane] Corsos, I got an Australian Shepherd, and then I got a fluffy Frenchie,” Simmons states. “We got Ten. She’s a female Corso, Cane Corso. So, when I got to Brooklyn, changed my jersey [number] to 10, named her Ten. There’s Franklin, who’s a [Cane] Corso also. There’s Pablo, who’s the fluffy Frenchie, and then there’s Legend. He’s an Australian Shepherd.
“I’ve always had dogs. My first dog was, I think I was 7 years old, my 7th birthday,” recalls Simmons. “I got a golden retriever, and his name was Jasper.”
IT WAS SIMMONS’ FATHER who took him fishing for the first time. But that was before the boat, a “53 Scout” as Simmons explains, and the elaborate fishing poles and lures used to nab whatever swims beneath the water.
“My dad, he’s the one who kind of put me onto it, probably trying to give me something to do, and then I was just locked in with it,” Simmons says. “I wasn’t even on boats. I was just from the rocks, yeah, so that was the joy for me. Like I didn’t, never dreamt of having a boat, never thought I’d have a boat, And then I had the experience of going on a few boats when I was a little older, and just fell in love with it.”
Now that Simmons is older, he owns a specialized fishing boat that features all the amenities one could want when on the water for a prolonged period attempting to reel in the day’s catch.
“It’s a center console, 50, 55 feet,” Simmons describes. “It’s got a cabin, bedroom, stuff like that. You [can] fish all day.”
When he was younger, Simmons spent a lot of time with his father, a professional basketball player in Australia’s National Basketball League.
“We had a bunch of hobbies when I was younger, growing up,” Simmons remembers. “Like, this one hobby we did was remote control cars. I loved it, I was super into it, and we just used to build them. So, I have a bunch of different hobbies. Basketball is probably his favorite. But, you know, I grew up a little different than my dad.”
Basketball is what Simmons knew he’d be doing, even at a young age. He couldn’t escape it.
“My dad played pro, so I was always around it like my whole life. Since I was born,” Simmons says. “I just knew this is the first thing that I was gonna do in terms of like my passion.”
But it’s also hard to gain exposure overseas, at least compared to the American basketball scene where the AAU stage shines bright, and the high school kids can be seen by a wider audience thus boosting their ability to gain access to the best colleges that can showcase their wide range of skills as they look to pursue their goal of ultimately ending up in the NBA one day.
“The amount of Australian players that you could name back then, like coming through, no one could,” conveys Simmons. “Me, prior to me coming here, I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to play in the NBA, so for me, it was, I know I need to go to the States to do that to get exposure and play, play against the best, and I did that.
“I didn’t grow up in the States, you know? I grew up in Australia. My whole lifestyle is different, my experiences with basketball is different,” he adds. “Me being here, like, no one would have thought that. So, I’m blessed to be here.”
Simmons is hyperaware of his place in the pantheon of Australian basketball. He is, after all, the last No. 1 overall pick to come from Oceania.
“I don’t know who’s gonna be the next Australian number one pick,” he asserts. “I’ve done a lot of things in this league that still haven't been done by Australian players in a long time, so, like it’s different now when you’re in the moment, but after I think people appreciate it more. I always think about that—just representing Australia and being out here and still being an Australian. Like, I’m a proud Australian. That never goes away. Like, eventually, I probably see myself moving back home.”
WHO ARE YOU? can be a simple yet loaded question.
How someone responds to it tells you a lot.
“That’s a deep, long [discussion],” answers Simmons before openly asking himself, “Who’s Ben as a person?”
Simmons takes a deep breath. You can see the thought racing around his mind. Perhaps no one has ever asked him before. We, as people, oftentimes only think of others in terms of what they do rather than who they are. But you aren’t what you do. You are who you are.
“Ben is uncle, son, brother, not a father yet,” he explains. “I love my family. I love to be around my family. I love to be around my friends, love to be outdoors, I like to enjoy a good time, easy going, love to have a laugh.”
But most people wouldn’t know that about him. You only know what you’re shown, and what’s been shown over the years hasn’t been much from a personal standpoint.
“I don’t have issues with people,” Simmons declares. “I don’t have like, like everybody I’ve met, I’ve never had a bad interaction with somebody where it’s like, ‘Yo, Ben’s a dick”, or anything like that—a dickhead or whatever.”
Simmons is attempting to rewrite his career on the fly. The former No. 1 overall pick is on his third team. Despite that, he’s still just 28 and currently part of a Clippers team that is attempting to do the unthinkable: win the franchise’s first championship.
The 6-foot-10-inch Simmons is a crucial part of the team, solidifying a bench unit as the backup center behind stalwart Ivica Zubac. He’s helped plug a hole.
In his first game with the organization, a thrilling overtime road win in Utah just before the All-Star break, Simmons finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals in 27 minutes.
Through the first five games of his Clippers tenure, Simmons averaged 21 minutes per game along with 6.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.4 steals on 58.3% shooting. But Simmons suffered a knee injury against the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 28, which caused him to miss two weeks of action.
Since returning, Simmons has averaged 14.5 minutes and only 1.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while going 9 of 29 from the field as he looks to get back to the level he was at before the latest hiccup took place.
“I definitely know what I’m capable of,” Simmons discloses. “I think it’s a matter of just being able to have a summer where I can get my body to where it needs to be, and then having that experience on the court again, and getting those reps up.
“It’s been a minute since I’ve been able to go full speed and actually rep things consistently, to get a feel for it and get my touch, but my thing is just, just continue to work and stay with it, and try to block out, you know, the nonsense that is around it.”
Simmons became quite reflective at times during our discussions together, allowing himself to be, well, himself.
When asked if he could go back and tell his younger self, standing on those rocks fishing with his dad two decades ago, that this is where his life would have led him, he replies: “Nah, there’s no way.”
But Simmons takes a step back and allows himself to take some of the credit for where his life has led him, to the grandest professional stage in basketball.
“As a kid that age, I probably would have said, like, it’s pretty cool,” he continues. “Like, that would be the expectation, you know? I just never thought of anything less, you know? I think my mindset is, I always manifest things, and I think I’ve always manifested since I was a kid for more and more, because prior to anybody knowing me, I was the reason I was put on the map, you know? I put my name out there. I played the games. I put the work in and did something that not many people are able to do.
“I’m grateful and blessed for the opportunities because, like, looking at it now, like the amount of Australian players that have come to the league and been able to be All-Stars and play on winning teams and have that success is, it’s not that many, As a whole of the NBA, like majority of the NBA is from the States, so it’s, it’s a blessing to be here, yeah.”
You’re not going to find many people like Simmons. There isn’t a protective shield put around him, a barrier that prevents you from approaching him and asking what you want. If you ask him something straight up, he’ll reciprocate.
It’s just that people on the outside looking in aren’t privy to the real him.
“They don’t know me. So, I think, probably,” Simmons says when asked if he thinks he’s underrated, not as a basketball player but rather as a human being. “Yeah. Let’s just say yeah.”
Maybe, as Simmons told me, this can help show people who he truly is.
As C.S. Lewis once said, “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”
Ben Simmons—the human being who enjoys fishing, his dogs, video games, the beach, traveling, and the water; always the water—is attempting to do just that.
Photo Credit Ben Simmons lol
Awesome read JR