Why Big Ben Simmons is ignoring the fame game

Ben Simmons is adamant he has the discipline required to ignore all the temptations of a career as an NBA star.

Ben Simmons dunks the ball against the Washington Wizards in his NBA debut on Thursday

Ben Simmons sampled the first beer of his life on his 21st birthday. He hated it. Hated the taste of it. Hated the idea of it. His focus was too narrow for it. Nothing good was being done to his body. Nothing worthwhile for his mind. It was a distraction. A diversion from his chosen path. His first sip of ale was his last.

Simmons is adamant he has the blinkers, discipline and self-assuredness required to ignore all the temptations of an executive-class lifestyle that continues today when his Philadelphia 76ers host the Boston Celtics in his first home game of the season. He’s in the privileged position of having virtually anything he wants at his fingertips, but during a teleconference call from 76ers headquarters yesterday, he said he was aware of the dangers attached to the game within the game in the NBA. The fame game. The behind-closed-doors game that could bring a young man undone if he started cutting corners by knocking the top off a cold one, for instance, or succumbing to any of the trappings of a new-found luxurious lifestyle and all the hype surrounding it.

“Honestly, for me, I just play,” he said. “I have a lot to prove, just to myself, where I can go. I’m not worried about people trying to boost my head or anything like that.

“For me, I just play the game. I want to win. I try not to let people get in my head. If they say certain things or believe the hype — there’s a lot of work to be put in. It’s going to take time but I believe in myself and my teammates. I’ve been working towards this my whole life and it’s finally here, so I just want to take advantage of my time right now, to be the best I can be. It’s going to take time, but I’m looking forward to the journey. I feel like I’m at the stage now where I just want to take advantage of everything that I’ve put in and all the work I’ve put in now. I just want to take advantage of it every time I step on that court.”

Simmons was in Los Angeles for his 21st birthday. He ditched his beer and sipped water for the rest of a night of tenpin bowling. He could have done anything and gone anywhere in the city of angels — could you blame him running amok — but he stayed in his lane. He earned rave reviews for his debut against the Washington Wizards this week before claiming the scope for improvement was limitless.

“With the game I had, I feel like I could have played a lot better,” he said. “I can improve on a lot of things I want to improve on. And I think once I get there, it’s going to be fun. I try to not look down the road too much, try to focus on the present, but I’m excited for the future. I’m very excited. Just got to keep working. It’ll take time, but I believe I can be one of the best players in the league. It’s just going to take work.”

The 76ers’ first home game today will bring Philadelphia to a standstill as Simmons gets his first taste of playing against one of the NBA’s genuine superstars in Kyrie Irving. “There’s a ton of guys I want to play against,” Simons said. “Just playing teams like the Cavs, Warriors, OKC, Rockets, just all those teams, I want to go up against the best and compete. That’s what I’ve been wanting my whole life, to play the best players and be one of the best players. Now that I have that opportunity, I think as long as I put in the work, the sky’s the limit. I’d say you can never dream too big.”

Asked by a Chilean reporter for advice to any youngster thinking the NBA was an impossible dream, Simmons said: “You’ve just got to set your goals and work towards them because I can promise you not many people thought I would be the No 1 pick when I was 13 years old in Australia. Anything is possible, and you’ve just got to work towards your goals … you’re playing guys who are All-Stars … they’re great players. So I have a lot to learn from just watching them and how they play, which is great for me. But at the same time, I want to come out there with energy and confidence.”

Andrew Bogut yesterday debuted for the Los Angeles Lakers in a team parading Lonzo Ball, the polarising player who has a fame-hungry father and might threaten Simmons for Rookie of the Year honours. His name sounds like a coaching mantra — third quarter, we’re ditching the pick-and-roll and playing a little Lonzoball — but he could do nothing to stop a 108-92 annihilation to the LA Clippers in front of a silenced celebrity-filled crowd including Jack Nicholson and Floyd Mayweather. This could be a long and unsuccessful season for Bogut. He ain’t at the Golden State Warriors no more. Gonzoball.

NBL boss Larry Kestelman hopes players such as Simmons and Bogut will have pre-season NBA matches in Australia within two years. The Melbourne-born, Newcastle-raised Simmons admitted he was hopeful the 76ers would make the long-haul journey to his homeland. His understated excitement about his career possibilities was clear in yesterday’s media call that attracted interest from all corners of the globe. He gave the impression he would play anywhere, any time the 76ers wanted him to after being sidelined for a year with a broken foot.

“Whoever they put out in front of us, that’s who I want to play,” he said. “I definitely want the NBA to go out to Australia, and definitely the team I’m on, Philadelphia, I want them to go out there and play. That would be amazing if we could do that. I think it will come. It’s going to be a great time when it happens.”