Aussie Ben Simmons hits first career three pointer, excited for Brett Brown to coach Boomers
Ben Simmons says he is looking forward to his Philadelphia coach Brett Brown guiding him through the national team experience as he finally broke through for his first career NBA three pointer. WATCH
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Aussie superstar Ben Simmons has given his tick of approval to his Philadelphia 76ers mentor taking over as Boomers coach on the same day he hit his first career NBA three pointer.
Basketball Australia might not have officially announced it yet but reports out of the US have Sixers coach Brett Brown usurping incumbent Andrej Lemanis as the national team boss for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
A candid Simmons spent time with reporters at his locker after the Sixers’ 109-104 win over New York Knicks and said he was “excited” for Brown to join the national program.
“I’m looking forward to it, he’s coaching me now, I’ve known him my whole life, but I’m excited to put together a great team and a great coaching staff,” Simmons said.
Brown has coached the Boomers before and his return is set to pave the way for Simmons and his Sixers teammate Jonah Bolden to rejoin the Boomers.
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Simmons, predictably, set social media alight when, at the 8.20 mark of the first quarter of the Knicks game, he drained a corner three, the first of his career — in his third season.
“You saw my reaction,” Simmons told reporters after the game.
“It feels good, you keep working at something and it pays off.
“I think I’m just growing as a player.”
It was the 23-year-old’s first three-point attempt in 12 games of the 2019-20 season. Previously, he hadn’t made a three in 17 career regular season attempts and he is 0-1 in 22 playoff games.
It prompted his sister, Liv Simmons to tweet: “Now you can all shut the hell up …”, indicative of the criticism he has been subjected to about his lack of a jumpshot.
Now you can all shut the hell up....
— Liv Alice Simmons (@livvalice) November 21, 2019
Draining a three in the corner over the outstretched hand of Knicks centre Mitchell Robinson wouldn’t normally cause headlines.
But this is Ben Simmons we’re talking about.
The Melbourne boy with the unique skillset that puts him among the most talented hoopers on earth — but he can’t shoot.
That’s the typical criticism from NBA pundits who believe the Sixers will be hamstrung until he develops a consistent jumpshot.
And they’re right, to an extent.
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But, Brown says his hard work is slowly paying off.
“That’s the first legitimate sort of three that he’s taken, a lot of heaves at the end of periods and I think his footwork and his confidence: he rose up, he didn’t blink and he looked great,” Brown said.
“It’s happening, he’s 23 years old, he’s gone from a college four man to an NBA point guard to an NBA All Star and was rewarded with a significant contract.
“His progression’s been pretty good, and so this is a small step, but a step toward the other pieces of his growth.”