Ben Simmons trades NBA hardwood for the open seas, winning a fishing championship
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Ben Simmons finally captured a championship — and not just in the game that defined so much of his professional career. This past Sunday, the former NBA player won the Sport Fishing Championship (SFC) Blue Marlin Open in the Bahamas.
Simmons competed as a fisherman for South Florida Sails, the club he owns.
Simmons said his investment in sport fishing is driven by a longtime passion for the sport. “I’ve always believed that investing in something you love means you have a responsibility to take it forward,” said Simmons, who last appeared in an NBA game in his one season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons plays in the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. (Photos by Darren Yamashita/Imagn)
“Sport fishing has given me an amazing experience, and SFC is creating a platform that treats inshore fishing as a professional sport.”
Selected No. 1 overall by Philadelphia in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons was traded to Brooklyn in February 2022. He missed the entire 2021-22 season due to a contract dispute with the Sixers and a herniated disc that came to light after landing with the Nets. Simmons later underwent back surgery following Brooklyn’s playoff exit.
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Since becoming an NBA free agent following the 2024-25 season, Simmons seems to have shifted his focus from basketball to competitive fishing.
Simmons’ share of ownership of Sails was announced last December. The South Florida SFC’s official website lists the three-time NBA All-Star as the franchise’s controlling owner.
South Florida opened the event strong, aided by Alex Stanley’s release of a blue marlin worth 450 points.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons watches Game One of the first round of the 2018 NBA playoffs against the Miami Heat at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 14, 2018. (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Stanley added another blue marlin release later, helping Sails close Day 1 at the top of the standings.
South Florida advanced to the title after Saturday’s lead built a commanding lead heading into Sunday’s final day. The Sails closed the event with 2,925 points, nearly 1,500 more than the New Jersey Sea Birds.
Ben Simmons of the Brooklyn Nets watches during the first half against the Utah Jazz at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on Jan. 29, 2024. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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Simmons’ victory came less than a year after professional athlete Scottie Scheffler saw his Texas Lone Stars win the Zane Gray Championship Playoffs. Scheffler is a two-time Masters champion.
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