Ben Simmons, from the NBA to sport fishing

The last time former first overall pick Ben Simmons played an NBA game dates back to game 5 of the first round of the 2025 playoffs between his Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets. On the scoreboard zero points, one rebound and one block. It was a sad end to a season in which the Australian played just 18 games for the Clips after being cut by the Brooklyn Nets in February. Since no one called him in the summer, he took up… fishing. Yes, you read that right, professional fishing.

Florida

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He hasn’t abandoned his NBA dream but while he keeps fit with workouts that he himself defines as “exhausting”, he has become the owner of a professional fishing team, the South Florida Sails. It is part of the Sport Fishing Championship league, made up of 16 teams from 11 states. They compete in fishing tournaments of various types, with a title up for grabs at the end of each season. “It’s a niche sport,” Simmons said. “Once you try it and understand what it’s about, you fall in love with it. Sport fishing is something that’s always interested me. Technique is a key component. There’s so many things that people just don’t understand. These guys are fishing on million-dollar boats and they’re in the water for days on end. So it’s a tough discipline, but a lot of fun. It’s one of those worlds that to know you have to experience it, dive in and understand what it’s about.”

passion

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Simmons isn’t part of the team, as he said he’s “not the best fisherman,” but he puts in a lot of effort as an owner: “I have a lot of passion in helping these guys grow this sport because I really believe in it. So, for me to compete would be a little selfish. Maybe if I tried hard enough to be a little bit of a fisherman, I could join the team. But for me, it’s more important to build a community in Miami around fishing. It’s really important.” And the NBA? “I’m a human being, it’s normal for me to think about it, I want to find out,” Simmons said. “I don’t think this story is over for me, but let’s see how it goes. So, as long as I put in the effort and put in the necessary energy, everything else will come by itself.”