Ben Simmons
A generational talent whose unique blend of guard skills and forward size redefined point guard play, yet his career became a saga of unfulfilled potential.
Born 1996 (age 30)·Australian basketball player·Birthday: July 20·Millennials
Biography
Ben Simmons arrived in the NBA heralded as a basketball unicorn: a 6'10" point guard with the vision of Magic Johnson and the defensive versatility of a modern Swiss Army knife. The Australian phenom dominated his single college season at LSU, making his selection first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers a foregone conclusion. After a redshirt rookie year due to injury, he immediately lived up to the hype, orchestrating the offense with preternatural passing and earning Rookie of the Year honors. His physical gifts made him a triple-double threat and a defensive nightmare. However, his story took a sharp turn as a glaring reluctance to develop a jump shot, compounded by high-profile playoff struggles and a bitter exit from Philadelphia, overshadowed his brilliance. Injuries and extended absences then defined his subsequent years, turning a promise of revolution into a cautionary tale of athletic talent hampered by physical and mental hurdles.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Ben was born in 1996, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ben Was Born
The biggest hits of 1996
#1 Movie
Independence Day
Best Picture
The English Patient
#1 TV Show
ER
Ben's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1996Born
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2001Started school
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2009Became a teenager
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Could drive
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2014Could vote
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2017Turned 21
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Turned 30
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2018 after averaging 15.8 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game.
- Selected to the NBA All-Star Game in three consecutive seasons (2019, 2020, 2021).
- Led the NBA in steals per game during the 2019-2020 season.
- Earned All-NBA Third Team honors in 2020 and was twice named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Did You Know?
He was the #1 ranked high school basketball player in the United States in the class of 2015.
He is the son of Dave Simmons, an American who played professional basketball in Australia.
He dated reality TV star and businesswoman Kendall Jenner for a period in 2018.
He holds Australian and American citizenship.
“I'm here to do what I do best: play basketball and help my team win.”
