NBA return on hold, Ben Simmons angling for success in pro fishing

TARZANA, Calif. – NBA free agent Ben Simmons is back with a team, just not in the NBA yet. Rather, the avid fisherman is the new controlling operator of the South Florida Sails of the Sport Fishing Championship.

Founded in 2021, SFC is a professional offshore saltwater fishing league with tournaments featuring pro anglers. There are 16 pro angling clubs combined in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts competing in 16 tournaments for a title.

Simmons has joined SFC celebrity owners such as professional golfers Scottie Scheffler, Harold Varner III and Taylor Gooch; current and former NFL stars Randy Moss and Raheem Mostert; country music star Brian Kelley; and NASCAR’s Austin Dillon.

“The way I see it, it’s like the new F1 [Formula 1] for fishing. The new LIV Golf for fishing,” Simmons told Andscape from his rented home last Friday. “The first real competitive sport fishing championship. It’s a league of 16 teams, which is growing and expanding. And so, 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. So, you’re fishing for white marlin, blue marlin, sailfish and striped marlin. There are all different point systems for each one. …

“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. And there’s so much to it that people just don’t understand. These guys are fishing on million-dollar vessels, and they’re out for days at a time. So, it’s tedious and gritty, but a lot of fun. It’s one of those worlds where you just got to kind of experience it, get into it and see what it’s about.”

Simmons is not on an NBA roster in December for the first time since before he was chosen with the No. 1 overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA draft out of Louisiana State University. The three-time NBA All-Star won the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year award and was an NBA All-Defensive first-team selection in 2020.

But his nine-year NBA career has been highlighted by a holdout with Philadelphia and countless injuries. Simmons has averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.5 steals in 383 regular-season games for the 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.

After being cut by the Nets in February, Simmons averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists with the Clippers while playing limited minutes and dealing with back issues in 18 games last season.

The unrestricted NBA free agent told Andscape that he has been engaging in two-a-day basketball, strength and rehabilitation workouts six days a week in the Los Angeles-area in hopes of getting fully healthy for a return to action. Simmons believes he is turning the corner physically and may be healthy enough to sign with a team around the NBA All-Star break if he continues to progress.

“I don’t believe it’s just [about] getting on a team,” Simmons said. “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.” 

Simmons talked to Andscape last Friday about his love for fishing; his excitement for the SFC; the challenged state of his body; his quest to revive his NBA career while nearing age 30; re-signing with agent Rich Paul; his biggest triumphs and regrets during his NBA career; thoughts on his fans and naysayers; and much more.

So why the South Florida Sails franchise?

It’s an existing franchise, but it hasn’t been built. So, there’s multiple franchises that are being sold right now. They do one at a time. At the time, I was in Miami and got the opportunity to invest. And then when I saw what they were doing and what they were building, I wanted to be a majority owner. And I’m the majority owner of the South Florida Sails.

So, it was a little bit of luck and just timing with everything, and it just felt so right given the position I was in and what I was really invested in in terms of what I was spending time doing. So, I just looked at it as a blessing. To go from playing in the NBA and then having opportunities to own a sailing team that’s based in Miami, where I call home now, is special. I just didn’t want to pass up on that. I really believe in this.

The potential is scary just in terms of where it can go. It’s such a niche thing. You can fish all types of ways, but I think what we’re trying to do here is just get the exposure around it in general, get people in the water, give them that hospitality experience within fishing. And then on top of that, building the community in Miami. The region we have is from Fort Lauderdale all the way down to the Keys. And the fishing world is small, but big. One of our responsibilities is to connect people and give back to the community while having people support us.”

How did you fall in love with fishing?

When I was a kid I just was always curious what was in the water. And my mom and dad used to take the dog to the beach all the time. …I remember just always getting shrimp [for bait]. And I had a little rod and just going every time and just casting, sitting there for an hour, two hours, just catching small fish. Then over time you get older. You only catch bigger fish. I was in Miami every summer.

I usually have a house on water, so I’d go to the tackle store and get some rods, cast out. And then that turned into getting on boats, and that turned to me buying a boat. And now I’m spear fishing and diving. And now I own a sport fishing team.

Could you compete with your team?

I don’t even want to compete because I’m not the best angler. But I have a passion in helping these guys grow the sport because I really believe in it. So, for me to compete, it would be a little selfish. Maybe if I work hard enough to be a bit of an angler, maybe I’ll put myself on the roster. But it’s more so for me about building the community in Miami around the fishing. That’s really important, and it’s a responsibility that we have now.

What kind of boat do you have?

A 53 Scout. It’s a 53-center console. I’ve had it for about two years now. It’s a badass boat. The name on the side of the boat is, ‘The Real One Fishing Club Boat.’ It’s the official boat for The Real One Fishing Club.

You turn 30 years old next year. Are you thinking about that much?

No, I’m blessed. I feel like I’ve been through so much and experienced so much that I’m excited for the future and what that holds. I just feel like I’m always wanting to do more and more. And people don’t understand that because I don’t talk about it or anything like that. And I’m not huge online in terms of my voice and what I’m saying. But I’m always wanting to do more and just build and do things that I’m passionate about.

Do you think because you’re really reserved that that kind of works against you sometimes?

It definitely works against me sometimes. But I think sometimes it works in my favor, too. I think people are always curious. Yeah, I think it goes both ways with that.

Tell me about free agency this past summer?

There’s a lot of things happening. I think for myself, I got to the point where I just wasn’t in a place physically yet to get back on the court and play to what I want to be able to give to the game. And obviously, you want to go back and get on the team, and that’s the focus. But for me, I had to make a hard decision. The first thing was letting go of my original agent last summer. I just told him right now it’s not a fit. And it was nothing personal against him at all. It was just for me, I wanted to take that time to get my body right, get my mind right, and just make that the sole focus.

I can’t play this game or give what I can if mentally and physically I’m not there. And the physical part is what it’s been for the last two years. I feel like I’m really turning a corner now, which has been a blessing because I don’t think people really understood the last couple of years for me. You really want to do something, your mind is there, but your body can’t physically do it, which is tough. It’s a frustrating thing to go through. But I’ve been through it before. It’s just staying steady and continuing to work, but I have to slow down.

What in particular has been wrong with your body?

The original time we were just approaching a lot of my rehab wrong. And I don’t think it was on the therapist. I just think we had to get a new set of eyes on it. And a lot of it was my mobility and that nerve running through your back, through my leg. I could barely jump off it or really move around. So, where I’m at now, I’m back on court in the gym [six days per week]. It’s two-a-days right now and then on court, too.

It’s exhausting, but this is the best I’ve felt in terms of the work I’ve been putting in. And so, when you see that and you’re getting rewarded for it, it keeps you in there. You want to see more. So, I feel really good. I feel like physically, mentally, I’m in a great place and I’m very blessed.

If a team offered you an opportunity right now, could you play right now?

Yeah. It depends on what I want to give them, though. It’s one of those things where I can go out and play and probably do really well and do important things for a team. But I want to get my body to the best it’s been. That’s the best of focus. I don’t want to have any setbacks or anything like that. That’s my major focus because I don’t think it’s good for anybody if I’m out there and I’m not 100 percent. So, for me, it’s getting to my peak physicality right now and then we’ll see what happens.

How did you feel last season?

I felt like I could barely really move how I wanted to. It was tough to really do what I wanted to do given where I was. And at the same time, some people are happy with maybe you can give me a few minutes doing this and that. For me, I want to be able to do as much as I can. I don’t want to go out there knowing I’m going to play a certain amount of minutes when I know I can give more.

Not playing much in the playoffs last season for the Clippers, how tough was that? And what was your body telling you at that time?

It was more exhausting than anything. You’re going back not knowing what you can do physically, and it’s just tough. Your mind is telling you that you want to do more and more. But you physically can’t do it. So, that’s just the biggest thing for me. And then it gets draining. Mentally, it’s fatiguing to deal with that year after year. So, for this summer, I got to the point where I was like, ‘Let me just focus on my body and mind and let’s see where we can get.’

Are you putting any timeframe on a return?

Yeah, I’m looking maybe halfway through this year, if not next season. Yeah, it just depends how far I can come along in that next month or so. But I’m feeling great. I haven’t had any setbacks.

This is the first time you haven’t been on a team since when?

No. I’m on a team now. It’s South Florida Sails. I don’t know. Since I started playing. My sister asked me that the other day, ‘How do you feel? You good?’ I’m like, ‘I’m great. What’s meant to be will be.’ I just purchased a team. I’m like, ‘Let’s focus on that.’ The basketball stuff will be handled.

What do you miss the most about playing in the NBA?

I’m just competitive. I’m a competitor. That’s what it is. I like to hit [expletives]. I like to dunk on people. I love to put on a show on the court, and I love to win. And I think just that camaraderie you have with your teammates is always great. But everything else that comes with the NBA is great. The money, the access, and things like that are always great. But I just don’t look at myself like I need to be around that all the time.

Being away from basketball and that fame is a lot different than what people know. And I had time to go back to Australia this summer, which was amazing. I hadn’t been home in five years, and I was just out there fishing and walking around the bush and hitting the beaches and things like that. It was just amazing. So yeah, it gave me time to really just take a step back.

What do you think is the perception and reality about you?

I don’t know at this point. I don’t know at this point. I just take it for what it is. It’s funny. It just comes with it. I actually don’t know. I go out the other day and I was just driving around and I get so much love from people saying what’s up and things like that. And then you see the internet people. It comes with it.

Do you even pay attention to what people say on social media about you?

Some things are just so in your face that you see it, but what does it really mean? My mind looks at it differently. I just see it differently. Just seeing so much. I think just being through the fire and being through the [expletive] and seeing what’s real, what’s not, and who you are. For me, I was figuring out who I was. I was like, ‘I love this fishing stuff. I love I’m Australian. I didn’t even grow up from the States and people don’t know that.’ So, just that and being comfortable with being like, ‘Yeah, this is what I love, this is what I do, this is what I am.’

When you reflect on your career, when were you the happiest playing in the NBA?

Just being in Philly. I don’t think it was necessarily a time. I think it was just the process of going through everything. Being drafted. Being in Philadelphia. Just really going through all of it, because people don’t get to experience that. I’ve been All-NBA. I’ve been All-Defense. All-Star. I’ve done things that people would never do or experience, so I’m very blessed for that. So, I don’t think there’s a time. I think all of it is just like it sculpts you into who you’re supposed to be and what you need. And maybe I needed this. Now I’m happy to be where I’m at.

What would you say was the darkest time, the toughest, of your NBA career?

Injuries. Back injury. That’s the thing. My first injury was my foot. I broke my foot, missed my first [season] of my career, came back and felt great. But the back was something different because it’s not a bone. You can’t just get an X-ray and see if it’s swollen, it’s broken here. It’s a different beast, and people don’t really understand that. So just I think going through that whole process and people understanding and not always believing what they read or see or hear, because there’s a lot of people out there just talking nonsense.

You’ve got money. You’ve proven you could play in this league. Why is it worth putting your body through this?

We’re human. We want to find out. I got to see. I don’t think this story is over for me playing, but let’s see where it goes. So as long as I put in that work and put the energy into doing that, then everything else will write itself.

How would you describe your passion for the game of basketball right now?

I’m just a competitor. I grew up on the court. So, it’s what I know, and it brings something else out of me. There’s other things that do that, but at this level, to be able to play against the best in the world and compete, it’s a dream. And you always want to be able to do that and test yourself. And that’s what the NBA does.

Anything when you reflect on your career where you say, “If I could go back, I would have done this differently?”

Yeah, I definitely think there are situations that I would have handled differently. But that also comes with, you don’t know what you don’t know. You learn and you grow. And I’m a big believer in things happen for a reason: You deal with it, you learn, you grow. …

I think probably just the exit of how things went down [in Philadelphia]. But at the same time, there were multiple people involved that played a role in that. So, it wasn’t just one side. It was many things playing into that, which people do not know. So, it’s a part of it.

Anything you want to share?

No. There is too much to share.

Why did you return to agent Rich Paul and Klutch Sports?

For me, there was a trust there. I think things had happened where it was maybe good for that relationship for us to go our [separate] ways at that time. But at the same time, I got a lot of love for Rich and Klutch just because that’s where I started. And I think it’s mutual. I respect Rich and what he’s done, what he’s built. And it’s somebody I trust. He’s going to keep it real with me, and I think that’s important.”

What kind of counsel is Rich Paul giving you right now? And what is he telling you about your situation?

I don’t think there’s any real pressure or worry. I think it’s just they felt the same way as I felt. I said, ‘I need just time to get ready and just focus on my body.’ There’s no point in going out there and not being physically able and everyone’s on the same page, so it’s just working until you’re right. …

I never had any bad blood with [Klutch Sports]. It was just one of those things where it’s like, we’re men. We’re not boys. It is what it is. S— happened. Let’s figure it out. Let’s talk. That’s how relationships figure themselves out, and you talk them through. But there’s no bad blood. It is what it is. It’s family. I fight with my family all the time and things happen.

How do you take critiques on free-throw shooting and 3-point shooting? Is there anything you could do differently about that in the future?

I feel like my shot now is a lot better than the last time I actually stepped on the floor. But a lot of that is just your touch. If your back is messed up and you’re extending, that’s already pulling on your spine, and people don’t even understand that side of things. So, to be whole and feel strong and your core to feel strong is a different feeling. You have control of what you are able to do — your touch; you’re not thinking about things.

That was one of the huge things for me. I’m telling my trainers, I’m like, ‘Yo, I can’t even make a hook shot. I have no balance. I have no stability.’ And I’m out there trying to do whatever I can, but that’s a part of it, too.

Should you have taken this break a while ago?

Yeah, for sure. Two years ago, I should have taken it. One hundred percent. It was just the timelines. You have your contract; you got to play. I’m like, s—, I’m trying to do what I can to get on the court and show people I want to play. But 100%. …

I couldn’t move [in Brooklyn]. I woke up one day, this is before Game 4 [of the 2022 NBA playoffs] against [the Boston] Celtics when KD [Kevin Durant] and Kyrie [Irving] were there. This is when I had just got there, too. We were down 0-3 and I’m supposed to be playing Game 4, but I could barely move. I could barely get out the bed. My back was not there.

I remember just having the full meeting about it and I was just like, ‘Look, for my health, I got to do the right thing.’ And people don’t understand that, either. And then there was another time where I had drop leg for a second in New York, and that’s when people started taking it seriously. So, it took that for people to really listen: my leg going numb and not being able to use it.

So, it is what it is. That’s life. People make mistakes and things happen, but you’ve just got to keep moving.

How would you grade your NBA career?

Highs and lows. I don’t really know. I think it’s unique in its own way. And that’s everybody. Many players are going to come through and have different careers, different paths, and mine is what it is. I’ve done things that a lot have never done or will never do. And I’m very blessed for that. So, I don’t take for granted, but I’m also not done. Whether it’s basketball or team ownership or fishing, whatever it is, I’m always active. So that’s something for me that I’m always going to be there trying to do more and whatever I’m passionate about and pushing that.

How cool is it being in a financial position to be an owner?

It is badass. Yeah, it’s sick. I love it. That makes me happy. Just being able to be an owner of what I believe is going to be a huge team in Florida and in that fishing world. So, it’s an honor, and I think there’s a lot of responsibility with it. …

I know how [Brooklyn Nets owner] Joe Tsai feels just watching. A lot of these owners are passionate about the sport, and that’s why you get involved. And it’s the same with me. I’m passionate about fishing, and the opportunity came along and I took the chance on it, and I’m excited to build this team and see where I can go.

How much time and energy do you put into your fishing club?

I think me being very involved and knowing what’s going on and having hands on it is going to push it. But I’m every day with it. Same as the gym. Those two things right now are in my life.

I don’t have too much free time. And if I do, it’s nighttime. And at nighttime, I’m trying to go to sleep. I got to be up at 6 [a.m.].

For the people who do love you, the NBA fans looking forward to seeing you come back, what would you tell them?

My fans and the people who do believe me believe in me for a reason. And some things are just understood. So, I appreciate the people who do support me, and I’m not done. I’ve got more to give. So, if you support me still now, then continue because there’s more to come.

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