Ben became the superstar he is today largely thanks to Dave Simmons.
Ben grew up in Australia, a country that does not place the same priority on developing basketball talent as the United States.
As well as basketball, Ben also played rugby and Australian rules football, although he had an obvious flair for the sport but ultimately chose basketball.
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ToggleBiography of Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons, also known as Benjamin David Simmons, is an Australian professional basketball player who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
A first-team All-American and USBWA National Freshman, he played one season of college basketball for the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers.
The 76ers selected Simmons with the first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
He was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2018 after missing a year with a right foot injury. Simmons was selected as an NBA All-Star in 2019-2021.
At the age of one and a half, Simmons grew up in Newcastle while his father played and taught there.
Simmons played basketball for Lake Macquarie and Newcastle for a further two years after taking up the sport at the age of seven in the Newcastle Hunters’ under-12 agent squad.
While at Newcastle he also participated in the Junior Rugby Association. Simmons returned to Melbourne at the age of 10 and began playing junior basketball for the Knox Raiders. In addition to basketball, he also played Australian rules football at a lower level.
While attending Whitefriars College, Simmons was voted MVP during his seventh grade year after helping Whitefriars win the Division 1A basketball championship.
When he was younger, Simmons had a hard time choosing between his two passions, basketball and Australian rules football, but he ultimately decided to focus solely on basketball. Before accepting a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport in 2012, Simmons, then aged nine and 15, competed in basketball for Box Hill Senior Secondary College at the 2011 Australian Schools Championships.
Despite being only 15 years old, he was selected to speak against Australia in the 2012 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Who are Ben Simmons’ parents?
Ben Simmons was born to his mother Julie and father Dave. Simmons was born in Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne.
Who is Ben Simmons’ father?
Simmons’ father Dave was born in America but was a notable basketball player in Australia. Simmons, who has dual Australian and American citizenship, performed for an Australian public organization.
Before turning professional with the Melbourne Tigers of Australia’s National Basketball League in 1989, his father played college basketball for Oklahoma City University in the United States.
Who is Ben Simmons’ mother?
Her mother is a white Australian and her father, Dave, is an African-American expatriate who became a naturalized citizen of this country. He grew up with five siblings: Melissa, Emily, Liam, Sean and Olivia, the first four of whom are from his mother’s previous marriage.