For a player who hasn’t stepped on an NBA floor in months, Ben Simmons’ offseason has sparked more questions than answers. Once rumored to be on the New York Knicks’ radar, the former No. 1 overall pick remained unsigned, fueling widespread speculation that his NBA career may have quietly reached its end.

Simmons has now pushed back on that narrative. Speaking with veteran NBA reporter Marc Spears, the former Los Angeles Clippers forward clarified that he isn’t retiring – he’s simply choosing not to sign with a team right now. While the league waits to see if and when he returns, Simmons is charting an unexpected path away from the hardwood.

Instead of training camp or contract talks, Simmons is stepping into an entirely different world. He’s taken up fishing – marking a career pivot few saw coming, and one that only deepens the mystery surrounding what’s next for one of the NBA’s most polarizing talents.

The three-time All-Star is the majority owner and controlling operator of the South Florida Sails, a franchise in the Sport Fishing Championship, a professional offshore saltwater fishing league founded in 2021. The SFC is a 16-team league across the US, with franchises in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and other states.

There are 16 tournaments in a point-based season, with teams targeting species such as white, blue, and striped marlin, as well as sailfish, each carrying a different value.

For Simmons, fishing isn’t anything new. He details being curious about water and casting lines as a child during summers spent in Miami, and eventually bought his own boat to dive, spearfish, and immerse himself in the technical side of the sport.

Today, he owns a 53-foot Scout center console named ‘The Real One Fishing Club Boat,’ and talks about the fishing world with the same specificity that professional basketball players would about film sessions or the playbook.

Simmons has compared the SFC to the new “F1 for fishing” or “LIV Golf of fishing,” pointing to the growing list of celebrity owners, including former NFL star Randy Moss, PGA Tour golfer Scottie Scheffler, and musician Brian Kelley.

To him, it’s competition, ownership, and building something long-term.

Ben Simmons Is Building Something New, But Isn’t Walking Away From the NBA

For all of the attention on fishing, Simmons hasn’t closed the door on a potential NBA return. In fact, he insists that he hasn’t stepped away at all; the former Sixer is training six days a week in the Los Angeles area, balancing strength work and rehabilitation with two-a-day basketball sessions to get his body to a place it hasn’t been in years.

Simmons, who has been surrounded by retirement rumors, has also made it clear that he’s not interested in returning just to be on a roster.

After multiple seasons derailed by back and nerve problems and limited mobility, including stretches where he admitted he could barely move the way he wanted, he’s unwilling to rush into another situation unless he truly believes he can contribute positively.

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Simmons’ resume still includes a Rookie of the Year award, multiple All-Star appearances, and a reputation as a great defensive player, but with him missing time over the years, the gap between who he once was and who he might now be has never felt wider.

Whether Simmons plays another NBA game remains to be seen.

He clearly believes he can, but he’s no longer waiting for basketball to define his next chapter. Instead, he’s now building something independent of the league, a move that might reshape how he his remembered, regardless of how the NBA story ends.