The jump shot question is something that has been the main criticism of Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons in the early part of his career right now. He can do everything else on the basketball court at such an elite level, but that jump shot continues to be a big issue.
He did mention in the early part of camp that winning is much more important than his jump shot, which is correct, but him coming up with a jumper would definitely be a big help to the team’s winning cause.
As the team is now getting together for group practices, Simmons has been working hard with new assistant coach Sam Cassell. The focus of their workouts has been, you guessed it, that jump shot.
“Prior to training camp starting, we would just go in the flow workout,” Simmons said. “A lot of mid-range game, a lot of corner spot threes, lane threes, finishing around the rim. So, a bit of everything and then, more so into training camp after practices and before, a lot of shots and reps up.”
This would be a huge addition to Simmons’ game. The jump shot aspect of his game could be a bit overrated due to him doing everything else at such an elite level, but him coming back with any type of jumper just elevates his game. It also should be noted that the two triples Simmons made in the 2019-20 season were from the corner.
The work that Simmons has been putting in with both coach Doc Rivers, as well as the assistant coaches like Cassell and Dave Joerger, is going to be a big difference for him.
“He may see certain things that I don’t,” Simmons said of Rivers. “Same with all the coaches. They’ve all been great, just continuing to help me as an individual get better, to help the team get better, and really believe in my skill set and you know what I’m able to contribute to this team.”
The coaches are going to let Simmons off the leash and let him do his thing while also adding to his game, such as a jump shot. This could be an interesting year for the star player. [lawrence-related id=39934,39929,39923]