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Former No. 1 draft pick Ben Simmons has had an up-and-down career so far. At his best, Simmons was a three-time NBA All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year candidate. At his worst, Simmons has been viewed as an offensive liability whose mental toughness has often been questioned by fans and the media.
Simmons’ role has changed drastically since being traded from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Brooklyn Nets in February. So on that note, here is how Simmons’ statistical production has been affected since arriving in Brooklyn.
Ben Simmons’ stats in Philadelphia
After being drafted No. 1 by Philly in the 2016 NBA Draft, Ben Simmons missed his entire first season with a foot injury. However, he still lived up to the hype of a No. 1 pick the following year as he showcased his playmaking, rebounding and defensive abilities.
Simmons averaged 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game on 54.5% shooting in the 2017-2018 season. Since Simmons had not played at all the previous year, he was still considered a rookie and was voted the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year.
Simmons’ first season had many fans excited about his potential to develop into an elite point forward. Some even thought that Simmons could develop into a LeBron James-type two-way player for Philly. The biggest concern was Simmons’ lack of 3-point shooting ability as he finished 0-for-11 from three in his rookie season. However, given his young age, most assumed he could also improve his shot.
Over his next and final three seasons playing for Philly, Simmons didn’t show much improvement at all offensively. However, he was still a productive defensive-minded playmaker. Simmons averaged 16.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.6 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks per game from the 2018-2019 season to the 2020-2021 season. He also shot 56.6%.
Simmons’ play earned him three straight All-Star selections from 2019 to 2021 and two All-Defensive First Team selections in 2020 and 2021. Simmons even made the All-NBA Third Team in 2020, which signified that he was in the range of the top 15 players in the NBA.
However, Simmons’ lack of shooting ability continued to hold the Sixers back. Simmons shot just 5-for-23 (21.7%) from three during his final three years in Philly. His refusal to even attempt 3-pointers led Sixers fans to slowly turn on him and question his work ethic. It also became increasingly clear that Simmons was not a good fit to be the co-star of Sixers superstar big man Joel Embiid.
Sixers fans' animosity towards Simmons increased after he infamously passed up an open dunk in Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta. The Sixers were down by just two points with 3:31 remaining in the game at the time and went on to lose 103-96. So fans never let Simmons live it down.
Following his disastrous 2021 playoff appearance, Simmons sat out all of last season due to a holdout and a mysterious back injury. Simmons later revealed that he was dealing with mental health struggles as well.
Following Simmons' initial holdout to start last season, Philly ended up trading him to Brooklyn in February. The Sixers included Simmons in a package that landed them superstar shooting guard James Harden.
In total, Ben Simmons finished with a 178-97 regular-season record with Philadelphia. However, the Sixers went just 19-15 in the playoffs during Simmons’ tenure and never made it past the second round.
Ben Simmons’ stats in Brooklyn so far
After not playing a single game for Brooklyn last season, Ben Simmons has since settled into a complementary role for the Nets this season.
Through 21 games in Brooklyn, Simmons is averaging 8.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. He is also shooting 61.1%. However, Simmons has not yet made a 3-pointer for Brooklyn and has only attempted one.
This is likely not the type of production that the Nets were hoping for when they traded for Ben Simmons. However, the Nets are still 12-9 in the games that Simmons has played and are trending up.
Overall, Brooklyn is 19-12 and fourth in the Eastern Conference. They have also won their last six games, led by stars Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Also read: How does Ben Simmons' height compliment him to be a favorite 2-way player in NBA?
