Ben Simmons finally won a championship - but on the water, not the court. The former NBA star and three-time All-Star claimed the Sport Fishing Championship Blue Marlin Open in the Bahamas as an angler for the South Florida Sails, a team he co-owns.
Simmons said his investment in competitive fishing stems from a lifelong passion. “I have always believed that investing in what you love means you have a responsibility to help move it forward,” he said.
South Florida dominated the tournament, closing with 2,925 points - nearly 1,500 ahead of the New Jersey Sea Birds. The team was bolstered by angler Alex Stanley’s two blue marlin releases.
Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, has not played since his lone season with the Los Angeles Clippers. A free agent after the 2024-25 season, he appears to have shifted focus to fishing. His ownership stake in the Sails was announced last December, and he is listed as the franchise’s controlling owner.