Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons has been unlucky with injuries over the past few seasons, but when he was with the Philadelphia 76ers, he was known as one of the better two-way players in the NBA. One of the main reasons for Simmons all-around ability is his great size for a point guard, but his wingspan is shorter that someone else who also plays in Brooklyn.
In a video posted on X, Overtime Maddy (social media manager for the Overtime League) plays a game with New York Liberty forward and reigning WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart. The game is that Maddy gives her a list of NBA players and Stewart has to guess which one she has a longer or shorter wingspan than.
As some context for this challenge, keep in mind that Stewart is listed at 6-foot-4, but has a wingspan of 7-foot-1, meaning that she has some long arms, especially for her frame. When Simmons’ name came up, Stewart understandably hesitated given that he is listed at 6-foot-10 and already appears to have long arms when watching him play.
To Stewart’s surprise, Maddy told her that she was the one with the longer wingspan and for those familiar with Simmons from the NBA Draft process, the numbers bear out. Per Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of Draftexpress.com all the way back in 2016, the duo wrote the following for Simmons’ scouting report:
“In terms of talent, there is quite a bit to like in Simmons’ profile. He has ample size at 6’10, and a sturdy frame at around 240 pounds. While he does not possess great length, with a wingspan measured between 6’11 and 7’0, he is one of the most fluid and coordinated athletes you’ll find.”
For context, Breanna Stewart is 6'4" with a 7'1" wingspan while Ben Simmons is 6'10" with a 7'0" wingspan. Stewart has some long arms. To be honest, I'm surprised that Simmons doesn't have a longer wingspan, but this was an interesting exercise. https://t.co/WMNFsrTmjq
— Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) August 12, 2024
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