Ben Simmons Bio
Benjamin David Simmons, born on 20 July 1996 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, is an Australian professional basketball player who most recently played for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Standing 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 240 pounds, Simmons is recognised for his rare combination of size, court vision, and versatility as a point forward. He launched his NBA career in 2016 after a standout single season at Louisiana State University (LSU) and has since earned three All-Star selections and the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Simmons has navigated both triumphant highs and well-documented struggles during his career, from consensus first-team All-American honours at LSU to extended injury setbacks with the Brooklyn Nets. Beyond basketball, he has cultivated a broad public profile through endorsement deals, documentary appearances, and international representation plans for the Australian national team.
Early Life and Background
Benjamin David Simmons was born on 20 July 1996 in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria, to Julie, a White Australian, and Dave Simmons, an African American expatriate who later became a naturalised Australian citizen. He was raised alongside five siblings, four of whom were from his mother’s previous marriage. His father, Dave Simmons, had played college basketball for the Oklahoma City Stars in the United States before pursuing a professional career with the Melbourne Tigers of the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1989, establishing a deep basketball lineage in the family.
Simmons was raised in Newcastle from the age of 18 months while his father played and coached in the city. He began playing basketball at the age of seven with the Newcastle Hunters’ under-12 representative team and later competed for Lake Macquarie and Newcastle. At age 10, he returned to Melbourne and joined the Knox Raiders in junior basketball. As a young athlete, he also played rugby and Australian rules football, attending Whitefriars College, where he was named Most Valuable Player after leading the school to a Year-7 Division 1A basketball premiership.
As a teenager, Simmons was torn between basketball and Australian rules football but eventually chose to focus on the former. He played for Box Hill Senior Secondary College at the 2011 Australian Schools Championships before accepting a scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport in 2012. That same year, at just 15 years old, he represented Australia at the 2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championship, helping the team capture a silver medal.
Path to Professional Basketball
In January 2013, Simmons moved to the United States to attend Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, seeking stronger competition against players of comparable size and athleticism. He quickly made an impact, helping Montverde rally from a 16-point deficit to beat St Benedict’s 67–65 in the final of the High School National Tournament in April 2013. After competing in the Jordan Brand Classic International Game, he briefly returned to Australia to play for the Bulleen Boomers of the Big V competition.
On 14 October 2013, Simmons committed to Louisiana State University, choosing LSU over offers from Kentucky, Kansas, and Duke. He returned to Montverde for his junior year in 2013–14, averaging 18.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 69 percent from the field. Montverde finished the season undefeated at 28–0, and Simmons earned MVP honours after recording 24 points and 12 rebounds in the High School National Tournament final at Madison Square Garden.
During his senior year at Montverde, Simmons cemented his status as the top recruit in the country. He averaged 28.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.6 steals per game while shooting 70.7 percent from the field. He was named the Morgan Wootten Award winner, the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, and the Gatorade National Player of the Year, leading the Eagles to a third consecutive High School National Tournament title and a 28–1 record.
Ben Simmons Career
College Career (2015–2016)
Simmons began his freshman season at LSU on a five-game national tour in Australia, where the Tigers posted a 3–2 record and he averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per game to lead the team in all major statistical categories. He was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Preseason Player of the Year, the second freshman ever to earn the honour, and earned Associated Press Preseason All-America team honours. On 13 November 2015, he made his college debut with 11 points and 13 rebounds against McNeese State.
His standout college performance came on 2 December 2015, when he recorded 43 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, and 3 blocks in a 119–108 win over North Florida, marking the most points by a Tigers player since Shaquille O’Neal in 1991. Despite his individual success, LSU finished 18–13 and failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament, losing 71–38 to Texas A&M in the SEC tournament semifinals. Simmons declared for the 2016 NBA draft on 21 March 2016, finishing the season with averages of 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. He was named a consensus first-team All-American and the USBWA National Freshman of the Year.
Philadelphia 76ers (2016–2022)
On 23 June 2016, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Simmons with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, making him the third Melbourne-born number one overall pick in 11 years, following Andrew Bogut and Kyrie Irving. He signed his rookie scale contract on 3 July 2016 and joined the 76ers’ Summer League team, where he was named to the All-Las Vegas Summer League First Team. On 30 September 2016, however, he fractured the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot during training camp and was ruled out for the entire 2016–17 season on 24 February 2017 after the injury failed to fully heal.
Simmons made his NBA debut on 18 October 2017, posting 18 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to the Washington Wizards. By his fourth game, he had already recorded his first career triple-double with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Detroit Pistons, becoming the third rookie in NBA history to record a triple-double in his first four games. He went on to set the team rookie record for assists and led the 76ers to a franchise-record 16-game winning streak to close the regular season, earning the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year award and All-Rookie First Team honours.
In his second season, Simmons averaged a triple-double at one point and received his first All-Star selection on 31 January 2019, becoming the first Australian to earn the honour. On 15 July 2019, the 76ers and Simmons agreed to a five-year, $170 million contract extension. The 2019–20 campaign saw him set a career-high 34 points on two occasions, claim the 2020 NBA steals title, and earn All-NBA Third Team and NBA All-Defensive First Team honours.
The 2020–21 season grew turbulent. After struggling at the free-throw line during the playoffs and passing up a key late-game dunk in a Game 7 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons faced heavy public criticism. In August 2021, he informed the team he no longer wished to remain in Philadelphia and requested a trade. His resulting holdout made him the most-fined player in NBA history, and he did not play for the 76ers again before being traded.
Brooklyn Nets (2022–2025)
On 10 February 2022, Simmons was traded, along with Andre Drummond, Seth Curry, and two future first-round picks, to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden and Paul Millsap. He was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his back on 21 March 2022 and ultimately did not play for the Nets that season, undergoing back surgery on 5 May 2022. Simmons finally made his Brooklyn debut on 19 October 2022, recording four points, five rebounds, and five assists in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, but his season was cut short by a nerve impingement in his back. He posted career lows across major statistical categories.
After missing the first 38 games of the 2023–24 season, Simmons returned on 29 January 2024 with 10 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds in a 147–114 win over the Utah Jazz. He played in only 15 games for the Nets, averaging 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, and underwent a microscopic partial discectomy on 15 March 2024 to address a recurring nerve impingement. On 8 February 2025, the Nets waived Simmons and bought out the remainder of his contract.
Los Angeles Clippers (2025)
On 10 February 2025, just two days after his buyout, Simmons signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. He made his Clippers debut on 13 February 2025, contributing 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three steals, and one block in a 120–116 overtime win over the Utah Jazz. He appeared in 18 regular-season games for the Clippers, averaging 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, and played in five of the team’s seven playoff games, averaging 8.4 minutes per game. Simmons became a free agent at the end of the season.
Notable Events and Milestones
Simmons’ career has been punctuated by historic statistical achievements, including becoming the only player in NBA history to begin a season with at least 170 points, 100 rebounds, and 80 assists in his team’s first 10 games. He joined Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson as one of only three rookies to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 500 assists, and was the second fastest player in NBA history to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists, doing so in 125 games. In the 2018 playoffs, he became the first rookie since Magic Johnson in 1980 to record a postseason triple-double.
Ben Simmons Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Simmons’ family has played a central role in his basketball journey. His father, Dave Simmons, played college basketball for the Oklahoma City Stars before embarking on a professional career in Australia’s NBL. His brother, Liam Tribe-Simmons, a former assistant coach at the University of California, Riverside, joined Simmons’ training team in 2018 to help him improve his shooting. His sister, Emily Simmons, has worked for Klutch Sports since 2014 and is married to former NFL player Michael Bush. His godfather, David Patrick, served as an assistant coach at LSU during Simmons’ only collegiate season.
Simmons has been engaged to British television personality Maya Jama. The couple reportedly became engaged over the 2021 Christmas holiday before reportedly ending their engagement in August 2022. A supporter of the Essendon Football Club of the Australian Football League and the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League, Simmons has also engaged in public advocacy, including endorsing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for the 2020 United States presidential election.
2025 Season Performance
Simmons’ 2025 campaign began with uncertainty, as the Brooklyn Nets bought out the remainder of his contract on 8 February 2025. He quickly found a new home with the Los Angeles Clippers, signing on 10 February 2025 and making an immediate impact in his debut with 12 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in an overtime win over the Utah Jazz. His versatility as a passer and defender offered the Clippers a complementary role alongside their established core.
Across 18 regular-season games with the Clippers, Simmons averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, providing defence and playmaking in limited minutes. In the playoffs, he appeared in five of the team’s seven games, averaging 8.4 minutes per contest. His tenure with the Clippers ended when he became a free agent at the conclusion of the season, leaving his next destination open heading into 2025 free agency.