History of Ben Simmons in Timeline

Ben Simmons is an Australian professional basketball player currently with the Los Angeles Clippers. After a standout single season at LSU, he was the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers. He missed his first season due to injury, later winning NBA Rookie of the Year in 2018 and becoming a three-time NBA All-Star. A holdout with the 76ers after the 2020-21 season and subsequent trade to the Brooklyn Nets has made Simmons the most fined player in NBA history based on total financial loss.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1960: Oscar Robertson's Rookie Triple-Doubles

Oscar Robertson was the third rookie after Robertson (1960) and Art Williams (1967) to record a triple-double in his first four games.

1967: Art Williams Rookie Triple-Doubles

Art Williams was the third rookie after Robertson (1960) and Art Williams (1967) to record a triple-double in his first four games.

1980: Magic Johnson's Playoff Triple-Double

In 1980, Magic Johnson became the first rookie since then to achieve a playoff triple-double.

1989: Father joins Melbourne Tigers

In 1989, Ben Simmons' father, Dave Simmons, turned professional and joined the Melbourne Tigers in Australia's National Basketball League.

December 1991: Shaquille O'Neal scores 43 for Tigers

On December 28, 1991, Shaquille O'Neal scored 43 points against Northern Arizona, a feat that was matched by Ben Simmons on December 2, 2015.

July 1996: Ben Simmons' birth

Ben Simmons was born on July 20, 1996. He is an Australian professional basketball player.

2001: 76ers Best Record Since 2001

The 76ers finished the 2017-18 regular season with a record of 52–30, their best team mark since 2001, when they went 56–26.

2005: Andrew Bogut drafted #1 overall

Andrew Bogut was drafted first overall in 2005.

2011: Plays 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.

2011: Kyrie Irving drafted #1 overall

Kyrie Irving was drafted first overall in 2011.

2012: Scholarship and International Debut

In 2012, Ben Simmons took up a scholarship at the Australian Institute of Sport and made his first appearance in the United States at the Pangos All-American Camp. Also in 2012, he represented Australia at the FIBA Under-17 World Championship.

January 2013: Moves to the U.S.

In January 2013, Ben Simmons moved to the U.S. to compete against boys of comparable size and athleticism and attended Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida.

April 2013: Wins High School National Tournament

In April 2013, Ben Simmons helped Montverde rally from a 16-point deficit to beat St Benedict's in the final of the High School National Tournament.

June 2013: Joins Bulleen Boomers

In June 2013, Ben Simmons returned to Melbourne and joined the Bulleen Boomers of the Big V competition.

October 2013: Commits to Louisiana State University

On October 14, 2013, Ben Simmons committed to Louisiana State University, choosing LSU over offers from Kentucky, Kansas, and Duke.

2013: Simmons debuts for Australia

Ben 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.

2013: Preseason Player of the Year

In 2013, Ben Simmons was named the SEC's Preseason Player of the Year, and earned Associated Press preseason All-America team honours.

2013: Junior Season at Montverde Academy

In the 2013-14 season, Ben Simmons returned to Montverde Academy for his junior season, averaging 18.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. Montverde finished the season with a 28-0 record, winning the High School National Tournament. Simmons earned MVP honors.

July 2014: Simmons added to Boomers extended squad

In July 2014, Ben Simmons was added to the Boomers extended squad for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, but did not make the final 12-man roster.

November 2014: Signs National Letter of Intent with LSU

In November 2014, Ben Simmons signed a National Letter of Intent to play college basketball for LSU.

January 2015: McDonald's All-American Game Selection

In January 2015, Ben Simmons was named as a starter for the East team to compete in the McDonald's All-American Game.

March 2015: Wins Multiple National Player of the Year Awards

In March 2015, Ben Simmons was named the Morgan Wootten Award winner, the Naismith Prep Player of the Year, and the Gatorade National Player of the Year after leading his team to a 28-1 record.

August 2015: Signaled intentions to represent Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics

In August 2015, Ben Simmons signaled his intentions to represent Australia at the 2016 Summer Olympics and stated that he was aiming to win a medal.

November 2015: College Debut

In November 2015, Ben Simmons made his college debut in LSU's season opener, recording a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds in a win over McNeese State.

2015: Wins Third Consecutive High School National Tournament

In 2015, Ben Simmons led Montverde Academy to a third consecutive High School National Tournament title and earned MVP honors. He also competed in the Nike Hoop Summit.

2015: Ranked Top Prospect

In 2015, Ben Simmons was considered a five-star recruit by ESPN.com and was listed as the No. 1 power forward and the No. 1 player in the nation.

January 2016: Praised as best all-round player since LeBron James

In January 2016, after a win over Kentucky, Ben Simmons was dubbed the best all-round player since LeBron James by NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.

March 2016: Declares for NBA Draft

On March 21, 2016, Ben Simmons declared for the 2016 NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility.

April 2016: Withdrew from Australian Olympic team

In April 2016, Ben 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

On 25 June 2016, Ben Simmons' cousin, 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 7 June 2016, Ben Simmons signed an endorsement deal with Nike.

July 2016: Signs with 76ers and Joins Summer League

In July 2016, Ben Simmons signed his rookie scale contract with the 76ers and joined the team for the 2016 NBA Summer League.

September 2016: Fractures foot, Out for 3-4 months

On September 30, 2016, Ben Simmons fractured the fifth metatarsal bone of his right foot during the 76ers' final training camp scrimmage and was estimated to miss three to four months.

November 2016: Featured in Showtime documentary film One & Done

In November 2016, Ben Simmons was featured in the Showtime documentary film "One & Done", providing an insight into his time as a one-and-done college player.

Loading Video...

2016: Drafted first overall

In 2016, Ben Simmons was selected as the first overall pick in the NBA draft by the Philadelphia 76ers.

2016: Drafted #1 overall by Philadelphia 76ers

In 2016, Ben Simmons was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one overall pick in the NBA draft.

2016: LSU Fails to Receive NCAA Tournament Berth

In 2016, LSU finished the regular season with an 18–13 record and failed to receive an NCAA tournament berth.

February 2017: Ruled out for entire season

On February 24, 2017, Ben Simmons was ruled out for the entire 2016–17 NBA season after tests revealed that his broken right foot had not fully healed.

October 2017: Expressed intent to represent Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics

In October 2017, Ben Simmons made clear his intentions to represent Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

October 2017: NBA Debut

On October 18, 2017, Ben Simmons made his NBA debut, scoring 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in a loss to the Washington Wizards. In his third game, on October 21, Simmons recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. By October 23, Simmons recorded his first career triple-double.

September 2018: Simmons begins working to improve his shooting

In September 2018, Ben Simmons began working with his brother Liam Tribe-Simmons to improve his shooting during the off-season, and planned to continue this throughout the season.

October 2018: Simmons records 19 points, 15 rebounds in season opener

On October 16, 2018, Ben Simmons recorded 19 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists in the 76ers' season opener, a 105–87 loss to the Boston Celtics. Two days later in October 2018, he achieved a triple-double against the Chicago Bulls.

2018: NBA Rookie of the Year

In 2018, Ben Simmons was named the NBA Rookie of the Year.

May 2019: Confirmed representation of Australia in 2019 FIBA World Cup

On 15 May 2019, Ben Simmons confirmed that he would represent Australia in the 2019 FIBA World Cup and multiple exhibition games against Canada and the United States.

July 2019: Simmons agrees to $170 million contract extension

In July 2019, Ben Simmons and the 76ers agreed to a five-year contract extension worth $170 million.

July 2019: Announced he would not play in 2019 FIBA World Cup

In July 2019, Ben Simmons announced that he would not play for the Australian national team in the 2019 FIBA World Cup, citing "professional obligations".

October 2019: Simmons scores 24 points in season opener

On October 23, 2019, in the 2019–20 NBA season opener, Ben Simmons scored 24 points in a win against the Boston Celtics.

January 2020: Simmons scores 34 points against Nets

On January 20, 2020, Ben Simmons scored 34 points in a win over the Brooklyn Nets. Later in January, he was selected for his second All-Star appearance.

August 2020: Simmons returns during NBA Bubble

On August 1, 2020, Ben Simmons returned to play during the NBA Bubble, scoring 19 points in a loss to the Indiana Pacers, after being sidelined with a back injury.

October 2020: Announced endorsement for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris

On 3 October 2020, Ben Simmons announced his endorsement for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris for the 2020 United States presidential election.

2020: Simmons named NBA steals leader

At the end of the 2020 season, Ben Simmons was named the NBA steals leader and was selected for the All-NBA Third Team and the NBA All-Defensive First Team.

2020: Holdout and Trade

In 2020, Ben Simmons held out from the 76ers following the 2020–21 season, leading to a trade to the Brooklyn Nets.

February 2021: Simmons records career-high 42 points

On February 15, 2021, Ben Simmons recorded a career-high 42 points in a loss to the Utah Jazz.

June 2021: Withdrew from Australia Olympic squad

In June 2021, Ben Simmons withdrew from the Australia Olympic squad, stating that he was focusing on improving his shooting skills for the 2021–22 NBA season.

August 2021: Simmons requests trade from 76ers

In August 2021, Ben Simmons decided he no longer wanted to play for the 76ers and requested a trade, indicating a willingness to miss training camp to enforce the demand, due to an ineffective mesh with Embiid.

October 2021: Simmons returns to 76ers, faces suspension

In October 2021, Ben Simmons returned to the 76ers but was thrown out of practice for refusing to participate in a drill. He was then suspended for a game due to conduct detrimental to the team.

2021: 76ers' Game 7 loss and its aftermath

After the 76ers' Game 7 loss in the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Joel Embiid cited Ben Simmons' decision to pass up an open dunk as a key turning point. Coach Doc Rivers' response to a question about Simmons' ability to lead a championship team added to the uncertainty.

2021: Simmons misses training camp

In 2021, Ben Simmons followed through with his intention to miss training camp. He also put his Philadelphia home on the market for $3.1 million, and the 76ers withheld a portion of his salary.

January 2022: 76ers limit fining Simmons

In January 2022, the 76ers reportedly limited the fining of Ben Simmons in response to him attending team meetings and counseling sessions, but continued to dock him for missed games.

February 2022: Simmons traded to Brooklyn Nets

On February 10, 2022, Ben Simmons, along with Andre Drummond, Seth Curry, and draft picks, was traded to the Brooklyn Nets for James Harden and Paul Millsap.

August 2022: Reportedly ended engagement with Maya Jama

In August 2022, Ben Simmons and British television personality Maya Jama reportedly ended their engagement.

August 2022: Simmons settles grievance with 76ers

In August 2022, Ben Simmons and the 76ers reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount regarding the grievance he filed to recoup nearly $20 million in withheld salary.

October 2022: Simmons makes Nets debut

On October 19, 2022, Ben Simmons made his debut for the Brooklyn Nets, recording four points, five rebounds, and five assists in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

January 2023: Simmons records season-high assists

On January 12, 2023, Ben 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.

February 2023: Simmons receives PRP injection for knee

In February 2023, Ben Simmons had his knee drained and received a PRP injection to address ongoing left knee soreness.

August 2023: Declared intent to join Australian team for 2024 Summer Olympics

In August 2023, Ben Simmons declared his intent to join the Australian team for the 2024 Summer Olympics, but was ultimately not included in the preliminary team selection pool.

2023: Career lows during 2022-2023 season

During the 2022–23 season, Ben 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).

January 2024: Simmons makes season debut

On January 29, 2024, after missing the first 38 games, Ben Simmons made his season debut, recording 10 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds in a win against the Utah Jazz.