Top 5 defenders in Sixers history — 3. Ben Simmons
This past season, Ben Simmons was considered one of the top defensive players in the entire league. He was just beaten out by Rudy Gobert for the Defensive Player of the Year award. That is nothing to sneeze at. Sure, he has his offensive limitations, but credit is given when it is due, and Simmons earned his place on this list.
There are so many ways that Simmons can leave his mark on a game defensively. Let’s start with his lateral movement. When he is called to lock down an opponent’s best wing player, he does so in a very noticeable way. You see an obsessive force in his eyes, and his play reflects it with how intense he gets and how aggressive he plays up on his man. The number of bad shots he forces against top tier offensive players is quite impressive.
Then, there is his hand quickness. As one of the top defenders who racks up deflections like Guy Fieri downs meals on the road, Simmons wreaks too much havoc on his opponents for them to dribble with any kind of confidence. Whether he tips a ball away for a turnover or not, his swift hands disrupts another team’s offensive flow, making him a threat to prepare for in pregame.
Lastly, look at his steals rate. I would not be surprised if opponents walking into the visitors locker room at the Wells Fargo Center clutch their purse or satchel just to get mentally set for Simmons’ sticky fingers. For his career with the Sixers, he averages 1.7 steals a game. Surely, his defensive numbers will climb each season, along with his NBA All-Defensive team awards.