Simmons is just a dribble away from the rim, and the defense must be aware. If Simmons can knock down open pull-ups with confidence and consistency, there’s a universe in which no defensive strategy will matter. Here’s Simmons throwing on a cape to erase what would’ve been a wide-open DeMarre Carroll three. According to NBA.com, his average speed this season was 4.17 miles per hour, slower than Rudy Gobert, Joe Ingles, and more than 100 other players who, relatively speaking, are sloths. Rivers, who took on the Sixers’ head coaching post in October, was surprised that Ben has another gear up his sleeve. Let this jaw-dropping sequence against the Dallas Mavericks serve as an example. “I guess when he puts his speed on, it’s unbelievable how fast he is. In these playoffs, he has yet to attempt a single shot outside the paint, and opposing game plans don’t worry when he’s stationed on the perimeter. “I’m just blown away by his speed all the time,” Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson says, one day after Simmons scored a career playoff-high 31 points in Game 3 of their first-round series. “I think everyone’s focal point when on the court with him is just to keep up.”, “You really don’t see anything like that,” Sixers rookie Zhaire Smith says. It’s where he best resembles Magic Johnson and LeBron James. That is where he gets himself in trouble. There is no denying that the area that sticks out most in Ben Simmons' game is his defense. For a player who can do so much, conversations about his game necessarily gravitate towards everything he can’t do. Those unable to earn respect from distance are getting left behind. Ben Simmons is a 24-year old Australian professional basketball player who plays at the Point Guard or Small Forward position for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA.He was the 1st overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft selected by the Philadelphia 76ers.His 2020-21 season salary is $29,250,000. “And me guarding him in practice, I see his speed all the time.”, “It’s special,” Jimmy Butler says. 2017-2018: 15.8 PTS/8.1 REB/8.2 AST. “[I’m] just learning when to use it,” Simmons says. Copyright © ClutchPoints. Yes, he's an incredible ball pusher and a high-level open … They tied the Boston Celtics for third lowest when he sat, per Cleaning the Glass. ”And you’d all go back and you’d look at Russell Westbrook, maybe early days Derrick Rose. But really, forget your stopwatch, count the dribbles and count the steps. Simmons is listed at 6’10 and 240 pounds. On the other end, his speed is particularly useful getting back in transition, be it for a chasedown block, poking away a live dribble, or choking off penetration. Meanwhile, Ben Simmons is third this season with four deflections per game. Those ruptures through the sound barrier make him look like an undiscovered species. One of the main ways Ben Simmons ’ role has adjusted in the Philadelphia 76ers’ new starting lineup is that he’s spending more time attacking from the elbows. 5 best backcourts entering the 2020-21 NBA season, ranked, Max Verstappen staves off Lewis Hamilton comeback to win in Imola, Marcus Smart, Brad Stevens react to Jabari Parker making surprise impact in Celtics debut, Lakers’ Andre Drummond hits up LaMelo Ball’s jeweler for absurd $20,000 request, Warriors star Stephen Curry keeps it real on one of the best stretches of his NBA career, Stan Van Gundy calls out Mavs owner Mark Cuban for complaining about play-in, Sixers’ Tobias Harris puts Nets star Kyrie Irving on a poster with massive slam, Hawks star Trae Young’s hilarious reaction to awesome Kevin Huerter no-look trick shot, Lakers’ Alex Caruso, Talen Horton-Tucker show epic connection with alley-oop, Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards slides by Jayson Tatum with slick handles, Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards running away with Rookie of the Year vs. Pacers. There aren’t many. Knowing half-court situations aren’t where Simmons can consistently influence a game, Brown has given the ball to Butler, whose pick-and-rolls with Embiid have forced Simmons to imitate Rockets’ center Clint Capela by standing around the basket, hoping for a putback or lob. Jazz overcome Simmons' career night behind Clarkson's 40 (1:45) Ben Simmons pours in a career-high 42 points, but Jordan Clarkson scores 40 points off … This season, the Sixers had the second-highest turnover rate in the league with Simmons in the game. NBA prospect Ben Simmons drains a 3-pointer while showing off his soccer skills with a rainbow kick. And that is dangerous. Human beings that huge are not supposed to gather speed as quickly as he does. Learn about Ben Simmons and other recruit player profiles on RecruitingNation.com. For him to even be mentioned in the same breath as those players defies science. Here is where Simmons’ most lethal attributes — speed, size and playmaking ability — can be best exploited. The Rockets asked the Sixers for Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, and draft picks. Philly’s offense will be less predictable. Simmons led last year’s playoffs in touches (104.5 per game), but this year he’s down to 77.6. A. Davis: 153 Partner of iOne Digital / Cassius Network. At this point in his career, it’s Simmons’ most powerful ally, and a marvelous tool that allows him to do things very few in league history ever could. For another reference, Usain Bolt’s top speed was clocked at 27.8 miles per hour during a race in which his average speed was 23.35 miles per hour. According to private data provided to SB Nation by NBA Advanced Stats, Simmons’ top recorded speed this year was 19.7 miles per hour, which translates to him racing the length of … Ben Simmons as a modern-day point guard has long been a square peg in a round hole. You know, it’s young LeBron. Despite his limitations, Simmons finished this year as the third player 22 years old or younger to average at least 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists for an entire season. But against the Toronto Raptors, too often Simmons has been a Ferrari stuck in second gear. But when there’s enough time and space to turn hardwood into his private runway, it’s impossible to miss Simmons’ drag-race acceleration, how he blasts into open space sooner and with more force than should be possible. Although Simmons is not a frequent shot-blocker–compiling just one more block than Leonard in 2019–deflections are second nature for him. 2018-2019: 15.2 PTS/7.6 REB/8.4 AST. “It’s not something where I’ve got to pick him up at half-court or the three-point line,” Dudley says. According to private data provided to SB Nation by NBA Advanced Stats, Simmons’ top recorded speed this year was 19.7 miles per hour, which translates to him racing the length of a court in roughly 3.25 seconds. The 24-year-old averaged 16.4 points along with 7.8 rebounds and 8.0 assists this season while shooting a team-best 58 percent from the field. “It’s definitely different.”. Think about it: How many players can outrun a near full-court pass to wipe out a dunk? And over the past few weeks, both the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors have discovered how devastating Simmons can be when his engine goes from idle to a deafening roar. Figuring out how best to use Ben Simmons on offense will be among the greatest challenges awaiting new Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers. Instead, speed is a means to the end, and that end is putting the ball in the basket and stopping the other team from doing the same thing. ... Fox is known for his speed, and the Kings will be hoping the speed … “I’m meeting him at the free-throw line and then it’s his athleticism vs. me taking angles and [being] smart.”. Celtics are still wary of a 76ers squad minus Ben Simmons . Philly becomes a more dynamic team if Simmons is able to threaten opponents from more areas of the floor. Without knowing specific metrics or looking at a detailed study of Simmons’ genetic makeup, including a deep dive into the ratio of his fast-twitch to slow-twitch muscle fibers, Weyand is unable to pin down exactly how much of an outlier Philly’s point guard is. “We had a good talk, and so I wasn’t that concerned by that. Until then, everyone must conform to a player whose unprecedented speed affects everything around him. The NBA is still in the midst of a revolution that’s being dictated by outside shooters who effortlessly plop in three-pointers from 28 feet. He made his first all-star team and spent many of his 2,700 regular-season minutes looking like the vigorous No. ... Fox is known for his speed… And then if you go to the indoor competitions, where typically the standard race distance is 60 meters, the guys that excel at that rate tend to be even shorter, because more of that race is accelerating.”. “I would say I knew he had speed, but I didn’t know he had the afterburners,” the Sixers coach laughed, per Ky Carlin of USA Today. In a modern NBA defined by shooting, is Simmons’ deadliest weapon good enough? Simmons, a basketball and soccer star? Ben Simmons. When he’s able to locate a crease that’s typically cleared by a J.J. Redick back screen, Simmons rumbles downhill faster than just about anyone. 76ers could explore a Ben Simmons for LeBron James trade this summer, per report ... as the two share a similar style of play based on speed, size, and athleticism. to average at least 16 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, who declared himself the fastest player in the league, recorded a top speed of 18.6 miles per hour just before the all-star weekend, Simmons might be shooting with the wrong hand, Ben Simmons is making his opponents look like a bunch of rookies, Ben Simmons is a new NBA species who bends the game to his will, Patience vs. Expectations: The Ben Simmons Debate, With elite defense leading the way, Ben Simmons is showing his value without the ball. The team won 113-107 in preseason action over the Indiana Pacers and Rivers was happy with what he saw from Simmons. Below are his attributes and badges. A compact court rewards shiftiness and deception much more than a dead sprint. “It’s just basic biology, how muscular strength relates to body size. Joel Embiid and Doc Rivers weighed in Saturday night on the subject of Ben Simmons' offensive approach. By itself, unbridled velocity isn’t enough to make it in the NBA. Ben Simmons says accountability was "100 percent" a problem for the Sixers last year. “The appropriate time to fly down the floor, get to the rim, whatever it is.”. Philadelphia 7e6rs star Ben Simmons has a unique role on the team offensively. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. John Wall. Ben Simmons is a generational talent who, because of glaring flaws exacerbated by Philadelphia’s roster and the way basketball is trending, finds himself in the wrong generation. When Sixers head coach Brett Brown is asked if Simmons is the fastest player he’s ever seen, he doesn’t hesitate: “Tony Parker was the closest and I even think Ben is faster than that. “I knew he was a good place,” Rivers said. This has been his main asset ever since. Turnovers will go down, and defenders will be forced to pick him up higher on the floor, which creates more space for everybody else. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Even when Simmons is stifled as a scorer, that one-man transition tidal wave can’t be ignored. Count the dribbles. He forces defenders to collapse and/or pick up assignments they otherwise would like to avoid, creating mismatches. He is elite when it comes to that part of the game.”. In many ways, not being able to unleash such a devastating weapon at a moment’s notice is the cruelest irony. Ben’s speed is unfathomable for a man of his size. According to Cleaning The Glass, the percentage of Philadelphia’s possessions that were in transition this year was four percent higher with Simmons on the floor and 10.6 percent more likely after a defensive rebound — both numbers were near the top of the league, but don’t do Simmons’ speed proper justice. Washington Wizards announcer Justin Kutcher sparked outrage on Friday night with controversial comments about Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons. “Being really large, it’s hard to be fast … Anything where you’re trying to move body mass in space, it’s an advantage to be small,” says Dr. Peter Weyand, a biomechanist and physiologist who’s spent decades conducting performance related research. Note that All-Time Players' ratings never change. Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons has been in a bit of a scoring slump as of late. In Wednesday's 123-117 win over the Brooklyn Nets, Simmons had a typical game for him. Strong off-ball defense coupled with Simmons’ bursts of speed led to 4.0 deflections per game, the third-most of any defender. The Sixers will have their first game of the 2020-21 NBA season on Wednesday against the Washington Wizards. Tags: NCB , Ben Simmons , 2015 , Men Basketball Recruiting Simmons has plenty of time to add a reputable jump shot to his repertoire, but if he fails to do so, Philadelphia’s upper management will have a hard choice to make as it decides how to build around Embiid, and possibly Butler and/or Harris, both free-agents-to-be. A point guard trapped in a big man's body, Simmons has speed and strength that creates matchup problems on the perimeter as well as on the post. Also, in that same year, players defended by Draymond Green shot six … On NBA 2K21, this All-Time version of Ben Simmons has an Overall 2K Rating of 86 with a Build of a 2-Way Slashing Playmaker. The Philadelphia 76ers appear likely to be without Ben Simmons for at least the foreseeable future. Simmons does not have starting blocks or spikes, which are two of many unaccounted for variables when comparing a basketball player to a track star. Ben Simmons on NBA 2K21. Simmons had nine points, eight assists, five rebounds and two blocks while also attempting a 3-pointer in 26 minutes. For a bit of context, Kings’ point guard De’Aaron Fox, who declared himself the fastest player in the league, recorded a top speed of 18.6 miles per hour just before the all-star weekend. Get back, let him see five sets of jerseys and numbers, and let him play one on five. By Gary Washburn Globe Staff, Updated August 14, 2020, 10:38 p.m. ... to Embiid playing half-speed at … “I don’t care how fast you are, you’re not gonna beat five guys,” Brown says. So there’s a place for his speed, but it’s not all day every day.”. From a distance, Rivers was already aware of Ben Simmons’ speed, but now that he’s coaching the Australian, he was caught off guard by his ability to turn his speed several notches up. An NBA court is not a track, soccer pitch, or football field. But basketball is not a race. Like, those greyhounds that just take off. This Kings-Sixers trade forms a Ben Simmons, De’Aaron Fox duo. 2018-2019: 16.9 PTS/8.8 REB/7.7 AST. Simmons will be able to create his own shot, run high pick-and-rolls against teams that won’t be able to duck under the screen and keep him on the perimeter, or completely ignore him when he doesn’t have the ball. I guess the biggest surprise is I knew he was a good on-ball defender, I didn’t know he had the instincts off-ball that he has and that’s a very good surprise.”. Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons hasn't quite been the same player in the second half of … We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Standing 6-foot-10, Simmons has the size of a big man but the handles, quickness and vision of a guard. His job is to make sure he gets in the paint and he attracts a lot of attention in order to get his teammates open looks and sacrifice his offensive numbers a bit. It’ll also make him so much more effective in transition, because there won’t be any pressure to force the issue and avoid settling into the halfcourt. A master list that details where Simmons ranks relative to every other player in the league was not made available.). Deflections Total B. Simmons: 216 (2nd/NBA) K. Leonard: 182. January 21, 2021 Greg Patuto Atlantic Division, NBA Trade Rumors, ... 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