History of Ben Simmons in Timeline
Ben Simmons is an Australian professional basketball player drafted first overall in 2016 by the Philadelphia 76ers. After a single season at LSU, where he earned All-American honors, Simmons sat out his initial NBA season due to injury, later winning Rookie of the Year in 2018. A three-time NBA All-Star with Philadelphia, a holdout and subsequent trade sent him to the Brooklyn Nets. Following a buyout from the Nets in February 2025, Simmons signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
1989: Father played for Melbourne Tigers
In 1989, Dave Simmons, Ben's father, played professional basketball for the Melbourne Tigers in Australia's National Basketball League.
December 1991: Shaquille O'Neal's Scoring Record
On 28 December 1991, Shaquille O'Neal scored 43 points against Northern Arizona.
July 1996: Ben Simmons was born
On July 1996, Benjamin David Simmons was born.
2005: Andrew Bogut drafted
In 2005, Andrew Bogut was the first Melbourne-born number one overall pick.
2011: Kyrie Irving drafted
In 2011, Kyrie Irving was the second Melbourne-born number one overall pick.
2011: Played for Box Hill Senior Secondary College
In 2011, at the age of 15, Ben Simmons played basketball for Box Hill Senior Secondary College at the Australian Schools Championships.
January 2013: Moved to the U.S.
In January 2013, Ben Simmons moved to the U.S. to compete at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida.
April 2013: Won High School National Tournament
In April 2013, Ben Simmons helped Montverde win the High School National Tournament.
June 2013: Joined the Bulleen Boomers
In June 2013, Ben Simmons joined the Bulleen Boomers of the Big V competition.
October 2013: Committed to Louisiana State University
On 14 October 2013, Ben Simmons committed to Louisiana State University (LSU).
2013: Junior season at Montverde Academy
During the 2013–14 season, Ben Simmons averaged 18.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for Montverde Academy and won the High School National Tournament, earning MVP honors.
2013: Preseason Player of the Year
In 2013, Simmons was named the SEC's Preseason Player of the Year.
2013: Multiple verbal confirmations to play for Australia
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that he would play for Australia on multiple occasions (including the FIBA World Cup and the Olympics), but has always withdrawn from the team before competition.
November 2014: Signed to play for LSU
On 12 November 2014, Ben Simmons signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball for LSU.
January 2015: Named McDonald's All-American Game starter
On 28 January 2015, Ben Simmons was named as a starter for the East team to compete in the McDonald's All-American Game.
March 2015: Won multiple awards
In March 2015, Ben Simmons won the Morgan Wootten Award, Naismith Prep Player of the Year, and Gatorade National Player of the Year.
August 2015: Intention to Represent Australia at Olympics
In August 2015, Simmons signaled his intentions to represent Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics and said he was aiming to win a medal.
November 2015: College debut with LSU
In November 2015, Ben Simmons made his college debut for LSU, recording a double-double.
2015: Won third consecutive High School National Tournament title
In 2015, Ben Simmons led Montverde Academy to a third consecutive High School National Tournament title and competed in the Nike Hoop Summit.
2015: Ranked as No. 1 player
In 2015, Ben Simmons was ranked as the No. 1 power forward and the No. 1 player in the nation by ESPN.com.
January 2016: Dubbed best all-round player since LeBron James
In January 2016, Ben Simmons was dubbed the best all-round player since LeBron James by Magic Johnson; later that month, he was benched for a game due to academic reasons.
March 2016: Declared for the NBA draft
On 21 March 2016, Ben Simmons declared for the 2016 NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility.
April 2016: Withdrawal from Olympics
In April 2016, Simmons withdrew from the Australian team in order to prepare for his rookie season in the NBA.
June 2016: Cousin Killed in Hit-and-Run
In June 2016, a cousin of Simmons who had attended the 2016 NBA draft, was killed in a hit-and-run in New Jersey.
June 2016: Signed endorsement deal with Nike
On June 7, 2016, Ben Simmons signed an endorsement deal with Nike.
July 2016: Signed with the 76ers
In July 2016, Ben Simmons signed his rookie contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and participated in the NBA Summer League, earning All-Las Vegas Summer League First Team honors.
September 2016: Ankle Injury
In September 2016, Ben Simmons rolled his right ankle during training camp with the 76ers, resulting in a fractured foot.
November 2016: Featured in Showtime documentary 'One & Done'
In November 2016, Ben Simmons was featured in the Showtime documentary film 'One & Done'. The film provided insights into his experiences as a one-and-done college player and explored his and his family's perspectives on the NCAA and the NBA's "one and done" rule.
2016: Drafted first overall by 76ers
In 2016, Ben Simmons was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one overall pick in the NBA draft.
2016: Drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers
In 2016, Ben Simmons was selected first overall in the NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.
2016: LSU's Season and Tournament Performance
In 2016, LSU finished the regular season with an 18–13 record, reached the SEC tournament semifinals, and failed to receive an NCAA tournament berth, with Simmons leading the team in most statistical categories.
February 2017: Ruled out for entire season
In February 2017, Ben Simmons was ruled out for the entire 2016–17 NBA season due to his broken right foot not fully healing.
October 2017: NBA Debut and Early Records
In October 2017, Ben Simmons made his NBA debut, achieved several milestones in his first few games, and became 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.
October 2018: 76ers Season Opener and Triple-Double
In October 2018, during the 76ers' season opener on October 16, Simmons recorded 19 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists in a loss to the Boston Celtics. On October 18, he achieved a triple-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists in a win over the Chicago Bulls, becoming the first Sixer to ever get one in a home opener.
2018: Named NBA Rookie of the Year
In 2018, Ben Simmons was named the NBA Rookie of the Year.
July 2019: Withdrawal from 2019 FIBA World Cup
In July 2019, Simmons announced that he would not play for the Australian national team in 2019, citing "professional obligations".
July 2019: Contract Extension with the 76ers
On July 15, 2019, Simmons agreed to a $170 million, five-year contract extension with the 76ers.
October 2019: 2019-20 NBA Season Opener
On October 23, 2019, in the 2019–20 NBA season opener against the Boston Celtics, Simmons scored 24 points and recorded nine assists and eight rebounds in a win.
January 2020: All-Star Appearance and Game Performance
In January 2020, Simmons scored 34 points against the Brooklyn Nets and was selected for his second All-Star appearance. On January 30, 2020, he was drafted by Team LeBron and scored 17 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds in a Team LeBron win.
August 2020: Return to Play in NBA Bubble
On August 1, 2020, Simmons returned to play in the NBA Bubble, scoring 19 points with 13 rebounds in a loss to the Indiana Pacers. He then sat out the playoffs due to a knee injury, and the 76ers were eliminated by the Boston Celtics.
October 2020: Endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris
In October 2020, Ben Simmons announced his endorsement for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for the 2020 United States presidential election.
2020: Season with the 76ers
After the 2020–21 season, Ben Simmons held out from the 76ers.
2020: NBA Steals Leader and All-NBA Recognition
At the end of the 2020 season, Simmons was recognized as the 2020 NBA steals leader, was named to the All-NBA Third Team and the NBA All-Defensive First team.
February 2021: Career-High 42 Points
On February 15, 2021, Simmons recorded a double-double with a career-high 42 points and 12 assists in a loss to the Utah Jazz.
June 2021: Withdrawal from 2020 Olympics
In June 2021, Simmons withdrew from the Australia Olympic squad, stating that he was focusing improving his shooting skills for the 2021–22 NBA season.
August 2021: Trade Demand and Departure Desire
In August 2021, Simmons decided he no longer wanted to be a member of the 76ers, requesting a trade and indicating he would miss training camp to enforce his demand, citing issues with his fit alongside Joel Embiid.
October 2021: Return to Team, Suspension, and Fines
In October 2021, Simmons returned to the team, was thrown out of practice by Rivers, and was suspended for one game due to conduct detrimental to the team. He had been previously fined and became the most-fined player in NBA history due to missed games, practices, and meetings.
2021: Reportedly engaged to Maya Jama
Over the 2021 Christmas holiday, Ben Simmons reportedly became engaged to British television personality Maya Jama.
January 2022: Limited Fining and Grievance Filing
In January 2022, the 76ers limited fining Simmons for attending meetings, but continued to dock him for missed games. Simmons later filed a grievance to recoup nearly $20 million in salary.
February 2022: Trade to the Brooklyn Nets
On February 10, 2022, Simmons was traded to the Brooklyn Nets along with Andre Drummond, Seth Curry, and two future first-round picks in exchange for James Harden and Paul Millsap.
August 2022: Settlement with 76ers
In August 2022, Simmons and the 76ers settled the grievance filed by Simmons for an undisclosed amount.
August 2022: Engagement with Maya Jama reportedly ended
In August 2022, it was reported that Ben Simmons and British television personality Maya Jama ended their engagement.
October 2022: Nets Debut
On October 19, 2022, Simmons made his Nets debut, putting up four points, five rebounds, and five assists before fouling out in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.
January 2023: Season-High 13 Assists
On January 12, 2023, Simmons dished out a season-high 13 assists in a loss to the Boston Celtics. On January 17, Simmons recorded his first triple-double as a Net, logging ten points, ten rebounds and eleven assists in a loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
February 2023: Knee Issues and PRP Injection
In February 2023, Simmons had his knee drained and received a PRP injection for ongoing left knee soreness.
August 2023: Intent to Join Australian Team for 2024 Olympics
In August 2023, Simmons declared his intent to join the Australian team for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
January 2024: Season Debut After Injury
After missing the first 38 games, Simmons made his season debut on January 29, 2024, recording 10 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds in a win against the Utah Jazz.
April 2024: Not included in preliminary team selection
In April 2024, Simmons was not included in the preliminary team selection pool announced for the Australian team for the 2024 Summer Olympics due to back problems.
February 8, 2025: Waived by Nets
On February 8, 2025, Simmons was waived and the remainder of his contract was bought out by the Nets.
February 10, 2025: Signs With Clippers
On February 10, 2025, Simmons signed a one year contract with the Los Angeles Clippers for $1.08 million.
February 2025: Signed with Los Angeles Clippers
In February 2025, Ben Simmons' contract was bought out by the Nets, and he subsequently signed with the Los Angeles Clippers.
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