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Ben Simmons Pursuing Another Sport Professionally With NBA On Hold
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Ben Simmons Pursuing Another Sport Professionally With NBA On Hold

Originally posted on The Spun  |  By Tzvi Machlin  |  Last updated Dec 23, 2025 6:14 PM ET

It's been eight months since Ben Simmons last stepped on a basketball court and about four years since he was playing basketball at an All-Star level. With his career seemingly over, Simmons seems ready to take up a new pro sport.

According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Simmons has decided to pursue professional offshort saltwater fishing in the Sport Fishing Championship league (SFC) - a 16-club league where he already servers as the controlling operator. He is one of many celebrity owners in the league along with such names as Scottie Scheffler, Randy Moss, Austin Dillon and Raheem Mostert (to name a few).

Simmons said that he sees the SFC as "the new Formula 1" of pro fishing. He said that while it may be a niche sport, he gets left in aww while participating and that he's always been interested in it.

“The way I see it, it’s like the new F1 [Formula 1] for fishing. The new LIV Golf for fishing,” Simmons told Andscape in a recent interview. “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.”

End of the NBA line?

Despite his newfound hobby and potential pro sports career, Simmons isn't closing the door on his NBA career. He stated that he believes he'd be able to fit right into an NBA team right but just doesn't feel that he can give his all to a team right now. He said he needs to continue rehabilitating from back injuries and hopes to be healthy enough to sign with a team near the All-Star break.

“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.” 

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 10: Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets warms up before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on March 10, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)Getty Images

Simmons entered the NBA as the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, selected by the Philadelphia 76ers after one season at LSU. He missed his rookie season due to a foot injury but made an immediate impact in 2017–18, winning NBA Rookie of the Year. Known for his elite size, court vision, and defensive versatility, Simmons quickly became one of the league’s most unique playmakers. He earned three NBA All-Star selections (2019–2021) and was named to multiple NBA All-Defensive Teams, helping lead the 76ers to several playoff appearances as a primary ball handler and defensive anchor.

Despite his success, Simmons’ career has been marked by controversy and injuries, particularly surrounding his reluctance to shoot from the perimeter and his struggles during the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Following a highly publicized fallout with Philadelphia, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2022 as part of the James Harden deal. His time in Brooklyn has was hampered by back injuries and inconsistent availability, limiting his ability to return to All-Star form.

Simmons finished the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Clippers.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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