His relatively rapid decline and the various factors involved–back issues, mental resilience, funky play style–is fascinating. Especially since he wasn’t just potentially great. He was truly great for a few seasons.

Markelle Fultz ?

Rodman is up there for me

That’s what happens when fathers insert BS training, thinking they outsmarting established science.

Imagine if Ben’s dad never made him learn to shoot lefty?

Imagine if Lavar Ball didnt make his kids wear those crappy BBB shoes and hadn’t made them train using his own methods (trained since 2 years old, training on concrete, etc.)

He has to be. Imagine telling a professional basketball player that they need to shoot period. He’s somebody that even if he shot poorly, nobody would have truly given a shit if everything else remained the same. He just needed to shoot the basketball and that was just too much to ask. Can you imagine if Prime Simmons suddenly shot 25% from 3 on three attempts a game? That would have been great news and that’s an objectively bad percentage.

Andrew Bynum?

Magic Johnson told him “you can be better than me”…and then the young socialite went fishing

Him and Fultz unfortunately for the sixers

Guess the tanking shit wasn’t worth it lmao

Could be a lower baseline, but higher potential

Definitely worse to start with but probably a higher ceiling since his natural hand is his right.

But of course he was someone who was too cool to fail. He probably just tried for a week or two and decided it’s not for him. People with early success in life can sometimes turn out to be like that.

I actually felt that way at first but after seeing him on the Nets for a few years, I don’t agree. He’s SO bad with his left that there’s no way he’s worse with his right. Damn near every NBA player is a damn good shooter when warming up and just casually shooting around. Ben is out there air balling and shit.

It becomes more clear when he finishes inside. He’s MUCH better with his right and he throws up bricks like a novice would with their off hand when he’s forced to use his left.

Very very weird.

https://imgur.com/yFPuKNT

NSFW

I vaguely recall an episode of Old Man and the 3 where JJ said he talked about this with Simmons when they were both on the 76ers, before Simmons career nosedived obviously. Iirc JJ said he saw him shoot the ball right-handed in practice and his motion was a lot smoother. I think JJ said he tried convincing Simmons to break out the righty in-game or work on it over the off-season or something, but Simmons wouldn’t commit to it for whatever reason.

Nah, I’ve seen him knock down one handed free throws with his right hand, it can’t be worse. Brett Brown was really trying to make the right handed thing work out but Ben was too stubborn.

His nba coaches wouldnt have publicly asked him to do it if he was ass with it. No way they never saw him try it in practice or off-season work outs. I’d bet my whole life savings they saw it and knew it would work better but Ben didnt listen.

I don’t see how it’s possible to be worse shooting a basketball with your dominant hand.

Especially when you’re so bad with the other.

I do see how you can be too stupid, obstinate, arrogant or lazy to do the work. 2025 proves to me that any level of stupidity is possible .

LeBron is a lefty, shoots righty, and it worked out alright

I remember what was meant to be his breakout year in Philly, repeatedly like A LOT. Embiid had an orbit, the paint would be empty and Simmons would get a dish legit under the basket over and over, not a defender in sight and he always passed out. Every fucking time. I don’t think him using the wrong main hand was the problem. The dude was absolutely terrified of success.

You must not have watched his first 3-4 seasons to call him “passive”

It’s extremely clear when he shoots lefty, even in those workout videos where he makes them his form looks like a person shooting with their non dominant hand. KOC is a tool but he’s 100% right here.

I’ve got this weird handedness where for most fine motor skills I use my right hand: Writing, brushing teeth, use cutlery. And for more gross motor skills I use my left hand: Throw, bat, shoot. Then I use both almost interchangeably for skills that are in the middle like Tennis, and using a hammer.

Most people say I’m ambidextrous, which I’m not because I can’t write left handed or throw righty. I just split my hand depending on what I do.

Cross dominant is the name. I’m a lefty with writing, but my right hand is my dominate hand and sports hand. 

Lots of righty southpaws. If you ask a right handed person with no boxing experience to line up in a boxing stance probably half will line up southpaw, people like having their dominant hand leading. Usually results in Nate Diaz syndrome were good lead hand accuracy/activity/parrying but no power and slappy punches.

I remember being in basic training and first learning that it’s possible to be right handed but need to shoot left handed. Tripped me out.

Most left handed people end up cross dominant since most things are made for right handed people.

Source: lefty living in a right handed world

I’m ambi-ocular and can shoot both ways. But I’m pretty shit either way.

Simmons brings the ball up in front of his right eye, like a right-eye dominant shooter (KD and both professional Ball brothers do some version of this too). Pause a video of Ben taking a jumpshot while he’s at the apex and it looks like he’s about to shoot it right-handed, but then his left hand flicks it from the side. I would blame negligence from his shooting coaches but unfortunately as a fellow Australian, I have to admit that he likely never listened to them.

I play tennis right handed and ping pong left

I wish my mental handicap allowed me to make millions of dollars and retire before 30.

Like Tua’s dad forcing him to throw left handed only for it to end with him having an awful time putting zip on the ball since he can’t get the same control and power as he would with his dominant

Tbf JJ said this too back when he was podcasting, and they were teammates + I trust his takes on shooting lol

Sometimes when you’re right about something you never want to let it go. I’m not a big fan of KOC but he’s 100% right.

Kevin O’Can’tLetItGo

Uhh, guess where Ben Simmons grew up

Had to scroll way too far to find this before I bothered typing it out myself. The only correct answer.

Haha, look at this amphibious loser!