Benjamin David Simmons (born 20 July 1996) is an Australian professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for one season with the LSU Tigers, after which he was named a consensus first-team All-American and the USBWA National Freshman of the Year. Simmons was selected with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. After sitting out a year due to an injured right foot, he was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2018 and was selected three times to the NBA All-Star Game. After a holdout from the 76ers following the 2020–21 season, Simmons was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. His contract was bought out by the Nets in February 2025, and Simmons subsequently signed with the Clippers.
Simmons attended Box Hill Senior Secondary College in his hometown of Melbourne, Victoria, before moving to the United States to attend Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. In his only season in college, LSU began the season with high expectations, but they failed to qualify for the NCAA tournament. Simmons left school to enter the NBA draft, becoming the third Melbourne-born number one overall pick in 11 years, alongside Andrew Bogut and Kyrie Irving. Simmons is the son of an American-born father, Dave, who played professional basketball in Australia. A dual citizen of Australia and the United States, Simmons has played for the Australian national team.
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Early life
Simmons was born on July 20, 1996, in the Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy to Julie, a White Australian, and Dave Simmons, an African-American expatriate who later became a naturalized Australian citizen. He was raised alongside five siblings—Melissa, Emily, Liam, Sean, and Olivia—the first four being from his mother's previous marriage. His father played college basketball for the Oklahoma City Stars in the United States before playing professionally for the Melbourne Tigers in the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1989.
Simmons was raised in Newcastle from the age of 18 months while his father played and coached in the city. Simmons began playing basketball at the age of seven in the Newcastle Hunters' under-12 representative team. He later played for Lake Macquarie and Newcastle. At age 10, Simmons returned to Melbourne and began playing junior basketball for the Knox Raiders. As a youngster, he also played rugby league and Australian rules football. In year 7, while attending Whitefriars College, Simmons was named MVP after he helped Whitefriars win the Year-7 Division 1A basketball premiership.
As a teenager, Simmons was torn between his two loves of basketball and Australian rules football, but he eventually decided to focus on basketball. In year 9, at the age of 15, Simmons played basketball for Box Hill Senior Secondary College at the 2011 Australian Schools Championships before taking up a scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport in 2012. Later that year, Simmons made his first appearance in the United States at the renowned Pangos All-American Camp for basketball prospects. Despite being only 15 years old, he was chosen to represent Australia at the 2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championship.
High school career
Sophomore year
In January 2013, Simmons moved to the U.S. to compete against boys of comparable size and athleticism. He attended Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. In April 2013, he helped Montverde rally from a 16-point deficit to beat New Jersey's St Benedict's 67–65 in the final of the High School National Tournament. After competing in the Jordan Brand Classic International Game, he returned to Melbourne, where he joined the Bulleen Boomers of the Big V competition in June 2013.
On 14 October 2013, Simmons committed to Louisiana State University, picking LSU over other offers from Kentucky, Kansas, and Duke.
Junior year
Simmons returned to Montverde Academy for his junior season in 2013–14. On the season, Simmons averaged 18.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 69 percent from the field and 77 percent from the free throw line. He recorded 88 blocks as well. Montverde finished the season with a 28–0 record, closing with a 71–62 victory over Oak Hill Academy in the High School National Tournament at Madison Square Garden. Simmons had 24 points and 12 rebounds as he earned MVP honours. Following the season, he was named America's top high school junior and was voted MVP at the National Basketball Players' Association Top 100 camp.
Senior year
On 12 November 2014, Simmons signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball for LSU. On 28 January 2015, Simmons was named as a starter for the East team to compete in the 38th annual McDonald's All-American Game. On 10 March 2015, he was named the Morgan Wootten Award winner, given annually to the best male McDonald's All-American player who exemplifies outstanding character, exhibits leadership, and embodies the values of being a student-athlete in the classroom and in the community. He was then named the Naismith Prep Player of the Year on 12 March and the Gatorade National Player of the Year on 24 March after leading the Eagles to a 28–1 record and a berth in the High School National Tournament for the third straight year. In 29 regular season games, 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 and recording 24 double-doubles.
After competing in the 2015 McDonald's All-American Game on 1 April, Simmons led Montverde Academy to a third consecutive High School National Tournament title with a 70–61 win over Oak Hill Academy on 4 April at Madison Square Garden. He again earned MVP honours after recording 58 points and 35 rebounds over the three-day tournament. He then competed in the 2015 Nike Hoop Summit for the World Team on 11 April and scored 13 points in a 103–101 win over Team USA.
Considered a five-star recruit by ESPN.com, Simmons was listed as the No. 1 power forward and the No. 1 player in the nation in 2015.
College career
Entering his freshman year of college, Simmons began his career on a four-stop national tour in Australia with the LSU Tigers. The Tigers completed their five-game Australian tour with a 3–2 record, and over the five games, Simmons averaged 20 points and nine rebounds per game to lead the team in all major statistical categories. Upon returning to the United States, Simmons was featured on the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook 35th-anniversary cover, was named the SEC's Preseason Player of the Year, and earned Associated Press preseason All-America team honours. His Preseason Player of the Year honour made him just the second freshman to earn the award, joining Kentucky's Julius Randle in 2013, and his All-America team honour made him just the fourth freshman to be honoured on the preseason team.
On 13 November 2015, Simmons made his college debut in LSU's season opener, recording a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds as a starter in a win over McNeese State. On 2 December, he helped LSU break a three-game losing streak by recording 43 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 steals, and 3 blocks in a 119–108 win over North Florida. His 43 points were the most for a Tigers player since Shaquille O'Neal had 43 against Northern Arizona on 28 December 1991. After recording 14 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Kentucky on 5 January 2016, Simmons was dubbed the best all-round player since LeBron James by NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. Nine days later, Simmons came off the bench for the first time after being removed from LSU's starting line-up for their game against Tennessee due to academic reasons. Following the conclusion of the regular season, Simmons was named first-team All-Southeastern Conference and the league's Freshman of the Year on the 2016 Coaches SEC voting. He was also named to the eight-player All-SEC Freshman team.
After ranking No. 21 in the preseason AP Top 25 vote, LSU finished the regular season with an 18–13 record, including 11–7 in SEC play. As the fourth seed in the 2016 SEC tournament, LSU defeated Tennessee in the quarterfinals, but were defeated by Texas A&M in a demoralizing 71–38 semifinal loss, failing to receive an NCAA tournament berth. Simmons led the team in all major statistical categories except three-point shooting and free throw shooting, finishing with averages of 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks in 34.9 minutes per game.
Following the announcement of the NCAA tournament field, with LSU failing to earn a bid, Tigers head coach Johnny Jones announced that the team would not play in any postseason tournament. On 21 March 2016, Simmons declared for the 2016 NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility. He withdrew from school at the conclusion of the season with plans to move immediately to Phoenix, Arizona in advance of the NBA draft. He also signed with American sports agency Klutch Sports, which is primarily owned by Rich Paul.
Professional career
Philadelphia 76ers (2016–2022)
In the week leading up to the 2016 NBA draft, Simmons' attitude and character were questioned by a number of NBA media analysts. Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown, former Australian national team coach and a friend of the Simmons family, repudiated the claims being made and was content with Simmons' pre-draft behavior. On 23 June, he was selected by Brown and the 76ers with the number one overall pick in the 2016 draft, becoming the third Melbourne-born number one overall pick in 11 years (Andrew Bogut in 2005 and Kyrie Irving in 2011). He was also the first college player in the modern era to be selected with the first overall pick despite never playing in the NCAA tournament.
On 3 July 2016, Simmons signed his rookie scale contract with the 76ers and joined the team for the 2016 NBA Summer League. While he shot the ball poorly during his first three Summer League games, Simmons was praised for his court awareness and passing ability for a big man. He went on to be named in the All-Las Vegas Summer League First Team, and in six Summer League games, he averaged 10.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.
On 30 September 2016, Simmons rolled his right ankle during the 76ers' final training camp scrimmage. After receiving an X-ray and MRI of the foot and ankle, it was determined that Simmons had fractured the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot and was estimated to miss three to four months. On 24 February 2017, he was ruled out for the entire 2016–17 NBA season after tests revealed that his broken right foot had not fully healed.
Some pundits doubted his strength, fitness, and scoring prowess after a full season on the sidelines, with only an outside chance for Rookie of the Year. In his NBA debut on 18 October 2017, Simmons had 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 120–115 season-opening loss to the Washington Wizards. In his third game, on 21 October, Simmons recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in a 128–94 loss to the Toronto Raptors, joining Oscar Robertson as the only players ever to post 10-plus points, 10-plus rebounds, and 5-plus assists in their first three NBA games. In his fourth game, on 23 October, Simmons recorded his first career triple-double with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists in a 97–86 win over the Detroit Pistons, becoming the third rookie after Robertson (1960) and Art Williams (1967) to record a triple-double in his first four games. He went on to become 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.
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. On 21 March, Simmons was diagnosed with a herniated disk in his back. On 4 April, Nets head coach Steve Nash ruled out Simmons for the remainder of the regular season and the play-in tournament. On 21 April, Simmons reportedly planned to make his season debut in Game 4 against the Boston Celtics during the first round of the playoffs. On 24 April, with the Nets facing a sweep to the Celtics, the Nets announced that he would not play in Game 4 due to back soreness. The Nets lost the game, eliminating them from the playoffs. On 5 May, he underwent back surgery.
Simmons made his Nets debut on 19 October 2022, putting up four points, five rebounds, and five assists before fouling out in a 130–108 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. On 17 November, he recorded a season-high 13 rebounds, alongside fifteen points, and seven assists, in a 109–107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Three days later, Simmons scored a season-high 22 points, alongside eight rebounds and five assists, in a 127–115 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. On 12 January 2023, he dished out a season-high 13 assists, alongside nine rebounds and two steals, in a 109–98 loss to the Boston Celtics. On 17 January, Simmons recorded his first triple-double as a Net, logging ten points, ten rebounds and eleven assists in a 106–98 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. In February 2023, Simmons had his knee drained and received a PRP injection for his ongoing left knee soreness, which he had dealt with during the season. On 5 March, Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn revealed that Simmons had an MRI that found inflammation in his back. On 16 March, Vaughn stated that Simmons had progressed to doing on-court work.
On 24 March, the Nets announced that Simmons had been diagnosed with a nerve impingement in his back and would be out indefinitely. The next day, Vaughn stated that Simmons would most likely not play for the rest of the season. On 28 March, Vaughn confirmed that the Nets would be shutting down Simmons for the remainder of the season due to a nerve issue in his back. During the 2022–23 season, Simmons posted career lows in minutes per game (26.3), points per game (6.9), rebounds per game (6.3), assists per game (6.1), and free throw percentage (43.9). ESPN described Simmons's performance as "a steep decline from his days as an All-Star".
After missing the first 38 games of the 2023–24 NBA season, Simmons made his season debut on 29 January 2024. In the game, he recorded 10 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds as the Nets defeated the Utah Jazz 147–114. Simmons played in only 15 games for the Nets, averaging 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists. On 7 March, the Nets announced that Simmons would miss the remainder of the season due to a nerve impingement in his lower back. On 15 March, he underwent a microscopic partial discectomy to alleviate the issue.
Los Angeles Clippers (2025)
On 10 February 2025, Simmons signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. On 13 February, Simmons made his Clippers debut, putting up 12 points, seven rebounds, six assists, three steals, and one block in a 120–116 overtime win over the Utah Jazz. Simmons averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game in eighteen games played for the season. In the playoffs, he played in five of the team's seven games, averaging 8.4 minutes per game. Simmons became a free agent at the end of the season.
Sacramento Kings (2026–present)
On 8 September 2026, Simmons signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Sacramento Kings after going unsigned for the entirety of the previous season.
National team career
Junior national team
Simmons represented Australia at the 2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championship at age 15, helping the team win a silver medal. Simmons' tournament highlights included a 26-point, 10-rebound, 5-steal outing against the Czech Republic.
Senior national team
Simmons made his senior debut for Australia in the 2013 FIBA Oceania Championship against New Zealand. He scored four total points in the two-game series and was a part of the gold medal-winning Australian team. In July 2014, Simmons was added to the Boomers extended squad for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, but did not make the final 12-man roster.
Since 2013, Simmons has verbally stated that he would play for Australia on multiple occasions (including the FIBA World Cup and the Olympics), but has always withdrawn from the team before competition. In August 2015, Simmons signaled his intentions to represent Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics and said he was aiming to win a medal. In April 2016, Simmons withdrew from the team in order to prepare for his rookie season in the NBA. On 15 May 2019, Simmons confirmed he would represent Australia in the 2019 FIBA World Cup and multiple exhibition games against Canada and the United States. In July 2019, Simmons announced that he would not play for the Australian national team in 2019, citing "professional obligations".
In October 2017, Simmons made clear his intentions to represent Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo; however, he withdrew from the Australia Olympic squad in June 2021, stating that he was focusing improving his shooting skills for the 2021–22 NBA season. Simmons was not included in Australia's preliminary team selection pool for the 2023 FIBA World Cup but was given an open invitation to attend selection camp by head coach Brian Goorjian; he ultimately ruled himself out to focus on rehabilitation from an ongoing back injury. In August 2023, Simmons declared his intent to join the Australian team for the 2024 Summer Olympics; he was not included in the preliminary team selection pool announced in April 2024 due to back problems.
In August 2026, it was reported that Simmons is planning to join the Australian National Team private minicamp, eyeing a potential NBA comeback.
Career statistics
Personal life
In the summer of 2018, Simmons' brother Liam resigned his position as assistant coach at the University of California, Riverside, to work with Simmons on improving his shooting game. The decision to hire his brother as his shooting coach was not without controversy or criticism. His sister Emily, a former member of the Washington State University women's rowing team, who has worked for Klutch Sports since 2014, is married to former NFL player Michael Bush. His godfather, David Patrick, was an assistant coach at LSU and was a part of his sole season there and was the head coach at Sacramento State. A cousin of Simmons, who had attended the 2016 NBA draft, was killed in a hit-and-run on 25 June 2016 in New Jersey.
In November 2016, Simmons was featured in the Showtime documentary film One & Done, providing an insight into his time as a one-and-done college player, as well as exploring his and his family's thoughts on the NCAA and the NBA's "one and done" rule. On 7 June 2016, Simmons signed an endorsement deal with Nike. Simmons is a supporter of the Essendon Football Club, an Australian rules football team in the Australian Football League, and the Newcastle Knights of the National Rugby League.
On 3 October 2020, Simmons announced his endorsement for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for the 2020 United States presidential election. Over the 2021 Christmas holiday, Simmons reportedly became engaged to British television personality Maya Jama. In August 2022, the couple reportedly ended their engagement.
In December 2025, Simmons became the controlling operator of the South Florida Sails professional angling club after obtaining a 50% ownership stake in the club.