Former NBA star Ben Simmons has been out of the league since the 2024-25 season. No team has reached out to sign him, and Simmons has stayed clear of basketball since then. The former Philadelphia 76ers icon has made a career change and is now thriving in competitive fishing.
On Tuesday, ESPN reported that Simmons has reached an amazing feat in sportfishing. The former NBA star helped capture the Sport Fishing Championship Blue Marlin Open at Walker’s Cay in the Bahamas. The Australian guard has been the controlling operator of the franchise since December 2025, and he also serves as the co-owner and angler for the team.
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Growing up in Australia, Simmons developed a passion for fishing. During his offseasons in the league, he spends most of his time on a boat.
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“I have always believed that investing in what you love means you have a responsibility to help move it forward,” he said. “Sportfishing has given me incredible experiences, and SFC is creating a platform that treats offshore fishing like the elite sport it is.”
NBA fans were caught off guard by the news about Simmons.
“more accolades than Luka, I’m in tears,” a fan said.
“Ben Simmons won a title before Embiid got to the conference finals,” another fan commented.
“Sixers win a generational draft lottery and the dude is a professional fisherman before 30 years old. Most Sixers thing ever 😭” one fan said.
More fans weren’t aware that the three-time All-Star made a career shift into sportfishing.
“alr time to pull an mj and come back to basketball,” someone commented.
“He wins another and we’re gonna have to have some uncomfortable conversations,” a comment read.
“that bum went from being a former #1 pick……..to becoming a f**ken fisherman,” one fan commented.
Colin Cowherd Explains His Viral Ben Simmons-LeBron James Take
Longtime analyst Colin Cowherd has had several takes about the NBA in the past. In 2018, the media personality was hyped up from Ben Simmons’ strong rookie campaign. Cowherd was excited for the former 76ers star that he told LeBron James that he could retire since he believed Simmons could take over the league.
“Hey, LeBron, Ben Simmons is here. We’re all good,” Cowherd said (Timestamp at 3:15). “For the first time in 10-12 years, I look at the NBA, which I’ve watched for four decades, and I say this now with Ben Simmons, ‘Hey LeBron, we are good, bro. You can go. You don’t have to. You can hang around. Still great, but you can go. We’re all good here.”
On Sunday, he appeared on an episode of “Club 520 Podcast,” where he revealed why he said his take.
“I got a little hot that day,” Cowherd said. “I overheated on the air.”
Despite his offensive limitations, Cowherd claimed that Ben Simmons’ 6-foot-9 height gave him a significant edge and that no one could stop him. However, he was exposed by the Atlanta Hawks in 2021, which derailed his career.
Cowherd thought that Simmons was going to be the new face of the NBA. Unfortunately for the former star, his career got cut short after seven seasons.
Edited by Reign Amurao