At the start of every NBA season, there are notable free agents. When the free agents struggle, many fans are left wondering if this could be the end of their careers, or at least the end of them playing meaningful minutes for a team. A top insider revealed that one of the NBA’s most notable free agents has found a new passion while waiting to return to the court.
Former No. 1 Pick and Current Free Agent Revealed a New Pursuit
NBA insider Marc J. Spears reports that multi-time All-Star Ben Simmons is pursuing a new career for the time being. Spears said, “With an NBA return on hold, Ben Simmons is angling for success in pro fishing while working on a healthy comeback to basketball. The Three-time NBA All-Star is a team owner in Sport Fishing Championship.”
Spears adds that Simmons is the controlling operator of the South Florida Sails in the SFC. The SFC is a professional offshore saltwater fishing league that hosts tournaments throughout the United States, featuring top pro anglers. A champion is crowned at the end of 16 tournaments.
A NEW ERA BEGINS 🚀
Three-time NBA All-Star @BenSimmons25 leads ownership group of South Florida Sails Angling Club
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/jhaADR1zEx#SportFishingChampionship #SFC #SouthFloridaSails pic.twitter.com/tl4olHqFeF
— Sport Fishing Championship (SFC) (@TheSFC_official) December 23, 2025
A native of Australia, Simmons said that he’s been fishing since he was a child and enjoys it. He said watching the sport at the highest level fueled his passion to become even more invested. However, Simmons has also made clear that he is not eyeing retirement and hopes to return to the NBA once he is physically fit and able to contribute again in a meaningful way.
Simmons doesn’t even turn 30 until next summer, yet there are legitimate questions regarding the future of his NBA career. The last time he was on the court, he played sparingly for the Los Angeles Clippers as they lost their first-round Western Conference playoff series against the Denver Nuggets this past April. Simmons only attempted six shots in 42 minutes of game action across the series, while committing 11 fouls.
At this point in Simmons’s career, he was projected to be a potential MVP Award winner by many fans and analysts. At the minimum, he would be one of the elite two-way players in the NBA.
The first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Simmons emerged as a potential superstar with the Philadelphia 76ers, despite dealing with constant injuries. He won the Rookie of the Year Award, made multiple All-Star teams, was a two-time All-Defensive First Team member, and made an All-NBA Team in 2020.
Yet his career was derailed by constant back issues and an inability to develop a perimeter game, despite being a point guard for most of his career. For now, Simmons is enjoying putting all of his energy into helping his fishing team win a championship.
