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Ben Simmons chose fishing in the Bahamas over the Knicks’ Finals run
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- Ben Simmons chose fishing in the Bahamas over the Knicks’ Finals run
As harsh as it may sound, Ben Simmons ' seven-year career trajectory will be studied by future generations as an example of what not to do if a player wants to maximize his talent and prolong his NBA career.
Once viewed as a new wave point guard who could have established a class of his own in terms of defensive and playmaking abilities, eventually became a high-risk asset that no NBA team wanted to associate themselves with, courtesy of a hesitant and underconfident playing style, injury woes and poor career decisions.
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And it seems like that perception will only grow stronger after recent developments. Having declined a contract from the New York Knicks , who have recently paved their way into the NBA Finals for the first time in almost three decades, the three-time All-Star seems more focused on cementing his legacy as a fishing champion.
Simmons is an official champion, not in the NBA
Yes, Ben has finally lifted a trophy, but not on the basketball court. Instead, the South Florida Sails Angling Club (a team in which he also holds an ownership stake) captured the Walker's Cay SFC Blue Marlin Open in the Bahamas.
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Simmons' team finished the three-day competition with 2,925 points, nearly 1,500 more than the runner-up. What makes the situation even more intriguing is that this success came after he reportedly declined a one-year offer from the Knicks before the start of the 2025-26 season, in the hopes that better opportunities would eventually arise.
Interestingly, the Knicks still decided to take a chance on Simmons, even though the rest of the NBA teams clearly had no interest in giving him a roster spot.
Simmons, after his buyout from the Brooklyn Nets last year, averaged 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 16.4 minutes per game for the LA Clippers . His performance was so unimpactful that the team trusted him with just 42 minutes of playing time in a seven-game first-round series against the Denver Nuggets .
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Yet when a championship-caliber team like the Knicks came searching for him, Simmons didn't take long to turn that opportunity down — proving just why the narrative about him might be true.
Related: Charles Barkley slams Cavaliers, claims "they quit" in Game 4 vs. Knicks
Ben could have changed the narrative about himself
Meanwhile, coach Mike Browns' stellar Knicks team is on one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history. While most teams cool off as the postseason progresses, this team is on a completely different trajectory.
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After falling behind 2-1 against the Atlanta Hawks in their first-round series, the Knicks have won every game since, including six consecutive road victories, all by double-digit margins.
So, it does seem safe to say that even if Simmons had undertaken a bench role and had limited minutes on the hardwood, joining a winning environment like New York could have allowed him to rebuild his reputation and play meaningful basketball.
Nevertheless, as things stand, a fishing championship appears to be the most notable accomplishment attached to Simmons' name in recent months.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
