Ben Simmons is one of the NBA’s most dynamic and exciting players. The Sixers guard is known for his electric play-making in transition and triple-doubles.
This article takes a closer look at his life and career — including his net worth, salary, family life, and relationships.
Quick Ben Simmons bio
Name: Benjamin David Simmons
Position: Simmons plays point guard/small forward for the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team.
Ben Simmons Height: He stands 6’ 10” tall.
Weight: He weighs 240 pounds.
Born: Simmons was born on July 20, 1996, in Melbourne, Australia.
Age: How old is Ben Simmons? He is 23 years old.
Shoots: Simmons shoots the basketball left-handed.
Jersey: Simmons wears number 25 for the Philadelphia 76ers. His jersey sales rank 9th overall among all NBA players.
Ben Simmons nicknames: The Sixers star is known by several nicknames, including Benny, Fresh Prince, The Yank, Big Ben, The Wizard of Oz, and Peacemaker.
Notable teammate: Joel Embiid.
Ben Simmons High School
Simmons attended Box Hill Senior Secondary College in Box Hill, Victoria, Australia, before moving to the United States.
He completed his high school education at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida.
His high school honors include:
1.) McDonald’s All American
2.) Morgan Wootten Award
3.) Naismith Prep Player of the Year
4.) Gatorade National Player of the Year
5.) ESPN.com five-star recruit
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College
Simmons attended one season at Louisiana State University (LSU) during the 2015-16 season.
Some of the honors and awards from his year at LSU include:
1.) Consensus first-team All American
2.) USBWA National Freshman of the Year 2016
3.) First-team All-American 2016
4.) First-team All-SEC 2016
After one year at LSU, Ben Simmons decided to enter the NBA Draft.
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NBA Draft
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Ben Simmons with the first overall pick in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft.
NBA Career Stats
Simmons sat out his first year with the Sixers because of an injured right foot. The injury happened during his first training camp as he landed awkwardly and rolled his ankle. A fractured bone kept him sidelined for the year.
His career took off the next season, culminating in the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. He was also named to the 2018 NBA All-Rookie First Team.
In his second full season, Simmons made the 2019 NBA All-Star Team.
Fans are hoping for big things to come in the future for the Sixers with Ben Simmons and star talents like teammates Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and Al Horford.
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Career stats
Field Goal Percentage: 55.6%
Free Throw Percentage: 58.3%
Career Points Per Game Average: 16.1
What is Ben Simmons’ career 3 point shooting percentage?
Simmons’ struggles with long-range shooting are well known. In fact, he didn’t make a three-point shot until the first preseason game of 2019 against the Guangzhou Loong Lions.
With encouragement from 76ers head coach Brett Brown, Simmons has made two regular-season 3-pointers this year (so far). He just made his second career 3-point shot on December 7, 2019, against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Simmons’s career three-point shooting percentage is 9.5%.
Ben Simmons’ Injury: Why did he take a year off?
Simmons injured his right foot during the preseason of his rookie year. He sat out the year to heal and be ready to go the next season.
The injury occurred when he rolled his right ankle during the final training camp scrimmage that year. Doctors determined he fractured the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot.
Net worth, salary, and financials
A new contract
The Sixers signed Ben Simmons to a five-year contract extension (July 2019) to pay him $169.65 million and possibly as high as $203.58 million (if he attains All-NBA honors next season).
Yearly salary
Simmons’ salary in 2018 was $6.434 million. He will earn an estimated salary of $8.113 million in 2019.
Once his new contract kicks in, Simmons is projected to earn $29.25 million in 2020. And in the final year of his new, five-year deal, he will bring home $38.61 million.
Ben Simmons net worth
Ben Simmons is worth an estimated $75 – 80 million.
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Endorsements and sponsorships
Simmons signed a big endorsement deal with Nike for $20 million during his rookie season.
He also has sponsorship agreements with Beats by Dre and Upper Deck.
Charitable activity
The Ben Simmons Family Foundation helps different communities with charitable contributions, including support to the homeless and women and children in need.
On his charitable giving, Simmons said, “I know, growing up, everybody wants that support and know they have somebody backing them. So, I feel like if I’m able to give that to certain people, it will bring that positivity to them and that energy that everybody wants.”
Ben Simmons’ family life
Learn about Ben’s family here.
Who are Ben Simmons’ parents?
His father and mother are Dave and Julie Simmons. Dave is American-born and played college basketball for Oklahoma City University. He also played pro basketball in Australia for the Melbourne Tigers.
What is Ben Simmons’ ethnicity?
Ben’s father is African American. His mother is a white Australian. So Ben is biracial.
Does he have any siblings?
Ben has four half-siblings: Melissa, Sean, Emily, Liam, and his sister Olivia (Liv).
Is Ben Simmons married?
No, he is not married.
Who is Ben Simmons dating?
Simmons was in a previous relationship with Instagram celebrity Brittany Renner. He has also been linked romantically to Kendall Jenner and Tinashe.
Recent reports say he’s been spending time with Australian model Talia Richman.
Four fun facts about Ben Simmons
1.) Simmons is the third Melbourne-born player to be chosen first overall in the NBA Draft in 11 years. The other two? Kyrie Irving and Andrew Bogut.
2.) Ben is a dual citizen of the United States and Australia.
3.) Played for the Australian national basketball team, the Boomers—the slang name for a male kangaroo.
4.) Ben’s brother Liam resigned as an assistant coach at the University of California in 2018 to work as Ben’s shooting coach.
Find Ben Simmons on social media
You can follow all the latest Ben Simmons news and headlines on the following socials:
Twitter: @BenSimmons25
Instagram: @bensimmons
Facebook: Ben Simmons #25
Ben Simmons basketball quotes
I was in school to play basketball; I wasn’t trying to be a doctor. It’s hard to talk about the NCAA rules and everything that happened in the past because I’ve just been focused on practicing and getting ready… I was trying to reach my dreams, and that’s to play in the NBA.
We have the pieces to get games, to complete games, and I think everybody in the organization knows that.
I look at the NBA as a job, a great job to have, so I think, for me, I would have loved the opportunity to go to the NBA out of high school. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. If you are ready, I think you should be able to go.
I’m the type of person who, when I walk in the room, I’m kind of quiet. I kind of get a feel for everybody and what’s going on in my situation, and I think the past two years or three years, I’ve been with the Sixers, that’s kind of developed to now to where I’m very confident in where I know what I’m doing, but I have a lot more to learn. And I think guys respect that.
For me, I always wanted to play in the NBA… it was one of those things I never thought about not achieving.
On being the best
I believe I can be one of the best players in the league.
For me, I always try and deliver. Regardless of the situation, I always try and play hard every time I step out on the court. If I don’t deliver and play well, then I know I haven’t been working hard enough.
I’ve never been scared to be different. And I know that because I know who I am as a person, I’ve always been confident with who I am, no matter what people say.
I think my versatility is a big strength. I don’t think anybody can guard me, just because I’m 6’10 and can dribble and play point. If I have a little guy on me, I take him to the post. For me to be able to then pass the ball, it helps me a lot.
We have to hold each other accountable, and we got to have that championship mindset. (And) We have to be selfless and really just be locked in as a team. We can’t worry about individual stats or achievements and accolades. It has to be team first.
On his goals
I want to get the assist record, I don’t know what it is, but I want to get that.
I wanna win, but I want to have fun at the same time… having fun usually comes with winning.
Obviously, we want to win a championship, but we got this season, we’ve got a whole new team, everybody is more prepared. And I think it’s going to be a fun year. So, I’m looking forward to just getting better and achieving that goal of winning a championship.
I just want to be great. I’m not really worried about individual accolades because I know the work I put in will pay off, and things will happen over time. I think I can be great.
A lot of pressure, but it’s a great responsibility. Not everybody’s given it, but I love having that voice and just be able to be one of those mentors and leaders of this world, and of what I do, and just be a role model for kids and just different people to where, if everybody’s doing it and everyone’s able to speak up, then everybody feels like we’re stronger as people. It means a lot to be able to have that responsibility and power.
On his jump shot and 3-point shooting
Everybody has things they’re not good at or as good at, and that was one of my weaknesses for sure, 100 percent. Everybody has a weakness. But I’m still dropping 18 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. And that’s at a superhigh level. There are not many guys — probably three, four guys — in the NBA who are doing that.
It’s not that I don’t need to do it. It’s just something that I’m working towards getting better as a player as you would do as a writer. Everybody works to get better. Him, behind the camera, he wasn’t the best the first day he started. That’s just my game. I’m confident saying that I’m not a great shooter.
I’m getting better, though, but it’s a game. There are five people on the court. I lack something that I’m not as great at, but in other areas, I’m very great at. I run the floor as well as anybody, physical, can rebound the ball at 6’10”, I’m a point guard, I can guard one through five. That’s just one thing that’s coming into my game (the shot), which I’m excited about. I love getting better. I love spending time in the gym.
A lot of guys go into the NBA not being able to shoot the ball well, but then they become great shooters.
Once I start shooting that jumper, I feel like I will be one of those guys that is hard to stop.
On leadership
I love being able to be somebody who kids can look up to and be a leader and an example for the new generation coming through. I’ve always looked up to guys like Magic [Johnson], LeBron [James], and D-Wade [Dwyane Wade]. So, I feel like it’s my time to really step into those shoes and be somebody who can represent Australia and my people back home the right way.
On LeBron James
People say a lot of things about LeBron, but he just keeps having a good mentality and grinding. That’s what I try to do, proving people wrong by what I do on the court.
LeBron’s been like a big brother to me, watching me play and giving me pointers on just little things. I really look up to him.
On racism
…I’ve had certain situations where I’ve been called the N-word by other kids at a young age. And the one thing my dad told me was, ‘Never take that from anybody. Never let anybody be racist towards you or make you feel a certain way because it’s not right.’ That’s the one thing that’s sort of stuck with me.
Everybody’s different. Tall, skinny, fat, short. Everybody is different. Black, white. And that’s just the way the world is. But I see it differently just because I’ve been to so many different places to where everybody’s different. Even if it’s two black guys or two white guys, they’re both different—everyone’s individuals in their own way. And you should be proud of who you are, no matter what the situation or circumstances are.
On being Australian
And I’m not afraid to let anybody know how I feel about it because I am who I am. At the end of the day, I’m from Australia. I was born there. I was raised. It’s where I’m from. And I want that respect too.
On his new contract
I just remember signing it in L.A. on a rooftop with my parents. It hasn’t really hit me yet. I look at the numbers, and I’m seeing like $170 million, and I’m like, ‘That’s a lot of money.’ That’s the first thing, and I’m grateful to be able to be in this situation and help my family and friends and things like that.
Philadelphia 76ers GM Elton Brand on Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons is an important piece of our core, and he is one of the NBA’s most dynamic and talented young players. It was a priority for our organization that we finalize a contract extension with Ben this summer. He was Rookie of the Year in his first season, an All-Star in his second, and we expect him to continue to grow and succeed for seasons to come. Ben positively impacts the game in so many ways, and we look forward to continuing our championship pursuits with him as one of our leaders.
76ers Head Coach Brett Brown on Ben Simmons
The time that he has invested over the course of this summer is the best by a long shot that he ever has. His awareness of this thing in the marketplace (people talking about his shot) – he’s prideful, he gets it. His confidence that I saw when he came back to Philadelphia and played in our gym over the last few weeks just stood out. It shone as if he had invested time, and he was looking forward to showing us, showing his teammates, me, proving it to himself.
I feel like he’s gonna have a tremendous season. He’s a 23-year-old All-Star. He’s invested the time. Technique, fundamentally, you talk about hands and feet, his preparation with his feet, his preparation with his hands, his release point, and I can go coach speak if you want, but my judgment is going to be the willingness to shoot.
Coach Brown on Simmons’ 3-point shooting:
We’re going to encourage him to shoot threes, and we’re going to encourage him… if he sees a straight-line drive, take off and eat it up…
This is what I want, and you can pass it along to his agent, his family, and friends. I want a 3-point shot a game, minimum. The pull-up 2s … I’m fine with whatever is open. But I’m interested in the 3-point shot. The mentality that he has where he’s turning corners and taking that long step, that gather step, and bringing his shoulders to the rim and trying to dunk or finish tight will equal higher efficiency or getting fouled. That’s the world that interests me the most—those two things.
With Ben, we’re not going to hunt threes. When they are available, I want him to shoot them. The reckless use of threes doesn’t tie into my initial statement of our team is huge. I do think we can play a style of play that is just smashmouth defense and bully ball offense. I think this team has the ability to do that. And so it leans more toward that than, let’s come down and crank out threes.
What’s next for Ben Simmons?
Simmons is pursuing his dream of playing in the 2020 Olympics in Japan. He hopes to be named to the Australian basketball team and possibly play with fellow Aussies Patty Mills, Andrew Bogut, Aron Baynes, Dante Exum, and Joe Ingles.
By Greg Johnson
Greg is a sports writer and designer based in Minneapolis.
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