He can’t shoot? Doesn’t matter. Ben Simmons is the most underrated player in the NBA. Here’s why.
The absolutely preposterous amount of hate that Ben Simmons, a perennial All-Star and 6-foot-10 point guard, receives from media and fans alike is asinine. And it’s all for the same, overused reason. The fact that he doesn’t shoot three-pointers.
Why does this matter to so many? It’s the simple fact that it’s how today’s NBA is. More threes are taken than ever in history, and fans just cannot accept the fact that players can be GREAT without using the extra point. Despite being one of the league’s most well-rounded players, the Fresh Prince remains underrated by many.
If you use Twitter at all, you’ll see slander from every corner for Ben. And it’s all because of the shooting, as I’ve previously mentioned. It’s rare that his elite defense, his elite passing, or his top-tier court vision and all-around playmaking are mentioned. However, haters tend to still always compare him to their favorite players — do they secretly wish their favorites were as good as Ben? Because it sure seems that is the case.
This season, before going down with a back injury, Ben Simmons is averaging just about 17 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. A stat that, for no reason, gets simply ignored is the fact that he’s leading the NBA in steals per game with 2.13 as well as total steals with 115. This simply proves Ben Simmons is without a shadow of a doubt one of the top defenders in basketball today. He’s also top 20 in defensive rating.
Ben Simmons also made his second straight All-Star team in just his third year in the NBA in the 2019-20 season. He is highly likely to make more throughout his, hopefully, long NBA career and career with the Philadelphia 76ers.
It’s simple- people hate on Ben Simmons because he’s everything they wish their favorite players were. However, as fans of the 76ers, it’s our responsibility to appreciate just how good he is.