The Fall of Genius, How did Ben Simmons lose his future step by step

At the 2016 NBA Draft, Ben Simmons was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers as the No. 1 pick and was hailed as the "Next LeBron". He is 2.08 meters tall, but has a point guard-like vision and pass. His talent makes the league crazy. However, eight years have passed, this former future star has gradually faded out of the ranks of top stars and has even become a representative of high salary and low energy. His career is one of the most sad stories of the NBA's fall in recent years.

16 draft

Simmons' peak in the 2019-20 season, averaging 16+8+8 all-around data made him the All-Star and ranked among the best defensive team.

Selected All-Stars

However, everything collapsed in the 2021 playoffs - facing the Hawks, he became the target of public criticism because of his fear of shooting, and eventually broke with the Sixers completely. After switching to the Nets, injuries and psychological problems followed one after another. He only played 48 games in three seasons, and his average data fell to 6+6+5. The former organizational master even lost his desire to attack. The fall of

Simmons

Simmons is a typical case of imbalance in talent and mentality. He has historically-level physical conditions, but he has never been able to make a stable jump shot, and even his free throw shooting percentage has fallen below 40%. What's even more fatal is that he seems to have lost his passion for the game, and his long absence due to "back injuries" and "psychological problems" has gradually lost patience for fans and the team.

Simmons

Today, the 28-year-old Simmons is still holding an annual salary of nearly $40 million, but has become one of the most premium contracts in the league. His story reminds us: talent determines the upper limit, but mentality determines the lower limit. If you cannot break through yourself, no matter how dazzling the new star is, it may be fleeting. Does Simmons still have a chance to turn things around? Perhaps, but time is not long.