NBA great tips Ben Simmons to fire this season after improving his shooting game
It was the shot that made the NBA world take notice — Ben Simmons nailing his first ever three-pointer for the Philadelphia 76ers. And one NBA great believes he can now go to the next level.
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Former NBA star Paul Pierce has labelled Ben Simmons “an extraordinary talent’’ and backed the Australian guard to use criticism of his shooting game to make him a better player.
Pierce — a 10-time All Star and NBA champion with the Boston Celtics — was one of the best shooters in the league during a 19-year career that also saw him crowned Finals MVP and three-point champ.
Despite setting the NBA alight and stuffing the stats sheet in his first two seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons has drawn criticism for his lack of a jump shot and reluctance to fire from the perimeter.
But, with the NBA season tipping off on October 23, Pierce told the Sunday Herald Sun he believed Simmons had worked on his shooting game over the off-season and was ready to go to the next level.
“He understands that people are talking,” Pierce said.
“As a player, when you reach a certain level you are going to have critics and I know he is one of those players who want to prove his critics wrong.
“So I think he’s worked on it and you are going to see him expanding his game to where I bet for sure he will take more shots this summer because he gets exposed in the playoffs.
“Because he handles the ball a lot and he doesn’t have to have a great jumper.”
Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant is among NBA luminaries who have attacked Simmons’ lack of an outside jumper, but Pierce said plenty of players had overcome the same issue.
“We saw guys like Rajon Rondo develop a respectable jumper and that was the knock on him, remember?” he said.
“He was a great passer and could get into the lane, couldn’t really shoot and Jason Kidd had the same rap. I’m not worried with guys like that, they’re smart enough.”
Pierce said Melbourne-born Simmons, 23, would “develop and improve” and the criticism could make him stronger.
“A lot of greats like (Michael) Jordan early learned from it and that is what takes guys from being good to great.”
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But Pierce admitted he still scratched his head when Simmons refused to take a shot when open at the top of the key with defenders sagging off.
“It’s just like, ‘What have you been doing these last few years?’ ” he said.
“You know guys are going to leave you open, you know that is the knock on you. You have to take a shot to gain respect. If you knock down one or two, now that forces the defence to come, now that opens up room for everybody else on the court.
“You have to take the shot, you have to have them respect you on the court, whether you’re a high percentage shooter or not.
“They need to know that you’re going to take it.”
Pierce said Simmons — who is zip from 18 from three- point land in NBA competition — stepping up as a shooter would be an important factor for the 76ers as they tried to win their first championship since 1983.
“Because when playoffs come, they’re not going to leave you wide open if you’re shooting, no matter how bad a shooter you are because that one shot could go in and be the difference between winning and losing,” Pierce said.
“I believe it will come around for him.”
Pierce tipped Milwaukee Bucks and “Greek Freak” Giannis Antetokounmpo to win this year’s title despite the hype of both Los Angeles teams.
“It’s easy to say, ‘OK, the Lakers have Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Clippers have Kawhi Leonard, Paul George’ but these guys are just coming together,” he said.
“The Milwaukee Bucks have been together a few years now, they’ve been battle tested, they have the best player in the NBA. I truly believe that this is the year that they’re going to win the championship.”
Originally published as NBA great tips Ben Simmons to fire this season after improving his shooting game