Philadelphia 76ers: The truth behind Ben Simmons’ improved jump shot
By Tony Pesta
Refusal to shoot
The lack of a jump shot isn’t a death sentence. Take Giannis Antetokounmpo for example. Despite shooting 25.6 percent from the 3-point line, the Greek Freak averaged 27.7 points per game and carried the Milwaukee Bucks to a league-best record as he won his first MVP award.
However, there is a clear difference between Antetokounmpo and Ben Simmons. While both are poor shooters, Giannis is open to attempting the shot whereas Simmons refuses to shoot a 3-pointer altogether.
Total 3-point attempts each season:
- 2017-18: Giannis Antetokounmpo (140), Ben Simmons (11)
- 2018-19: Giannis Antetokounmpo (203), Ben Simmons (6)
Unless he is forced to shoot due to a lack of time on the clock, Simmons is not going to pull from deep. This causes two issues for him.
One, opposing defenses will simply sag completely off of him if they know he won’t shoot. This makes it more difficult for him to attack as the defense is already in a position to stop his drive.
Secondly, being left wide-open is damaging to his confidence. The defense doesn’t believe he can hit the shot and neither does he. This takes a toll on him throughout the season as frustration must be building due to the lack of respect he is given from deep.
By not shooting from deep, Simmons is allowing the opponent to dictate his offense. This obviously hasn’t stopped him from becoming an All-Star, but it will hold him back from ever dominating a playoff series.
Even if Simmons misses more than he makes, he must be willing to attempt a 3-pointer in order to keep the defense honest. We have seen how simply trying to shoot has helped Antetokounmpo. It’s likely that Simmons would see similar results.