Ben Simmons’ cousin dies in car accident

JUST days after he was taken as the No 1 selection in the NBA Draft, Ben Simmons’ family has been rocked by an unexpected death.

New Aussie NBA recruit Ben Simmons (right) with cousin Zachary.

A WEEK of tremendous highs for Ben Simmons has swiftly turned into a period of devastating lows.

Just two days after he was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons and his family have been rocked by a sudden death.

The Aussie No 1 pick in this year’s NBA Draft shared news to his Twitter account on Sunday morning that his cousin, Zachary Simmons, had tragically died in a car accident.

#ripZacharySimmons 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/3MXEOn0xTW

— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) June 26, 2016

I'm glad I could share this moment in my life with you. Rest in peace Cuzzo . Much love Zachary Simmons #rip🙏

— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) June 26, 2016

Simmons’ cousin had been in Brooklyn, New York to watch the NBA Draft just two days earlier.

The 21-year-old was reportedly struck in a hit and run incident in Hoboken, New Jersey.

According to a report by CBS New York, Zachary Simmons was killed when a black SUV hit him at speeds estimated to be in excess of 110km/h.

Witnesses said the impact of the collision was so great that they heard “two loud thuds”.

The victim’s grieving mother said she could not comprehend why anyone would be driving at such speed in the densely populated area.

“To be speeding enough to kill my child is beyond me,” Steele said.

“He had just went to the NBA draft for his first cousin — number one draft pick.”

Simmons said in a Tweet that the moment was a tough reminder to keep things in perspective.

Hearing the news this morning is a reminder to never forget the important things in life.

— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) June 26, 2016