Ben Simmons has a team again—just not one playing under bright NBA arena lights. As his professional basketball future remains on pause, the three-time NBA All-Star has quietly shifted part of his focus to another lifelong passion: fishing. The former No. 1 overall pick is now the controlling operator of the South Florida Sails, a franchise in the rapidly growing Sport Fishing Championship (SFC), marking a new chapter defined by patience, precision, and long-term vision.
Founded in 2021, the Sport Fishing Championship is a professional offshore saltwater fishing league that blends elite angling with a team-based format. Sixteen clubs across the United States compete in a season-long points race, targeting species such as sailfish, white marlin, blue marlin, and striped marlin. The structure mirrors traditional professional sports leagues, complete with owners, standings, and a championship crown.
Simmons joins a notable ownership group that includes PGA Tour stars Scottie Scheffler, Harold Varner III, and Talor Gooch, NFL standouts Randy Moss and Raheem Mostert, country music artist Brian Kelley, and NASCAR driver Austin Dillon. The league’s blend of celebrity investment and hardcore competition is precisely what drew Simmons in.
He has described the SFC as a kind of Formula 1 or LIV Golf equivalent for fishing—a niche sport elevated through structure, exposure, and storytelling. Offshore fishing, often misunderstood by casual fans, demands technical skill, teamwork, and endurance. Anglers compete aboard million-dollar vessels, sometimes spending days on the water in grueling conditions. For Simmons, that grit and complexity mirrors the competitive environments he knows well.
The South Florida Sails opportunity came at the right time. While spending time in Miami, Simmons was presented with a chance to invest in an existing franchise that had yet to be fully built. What began as a business opportunity quickly turned into something more personal. Miami, now a place Simmons considers home, offered a natural connection to the fishing world stretching from Fort Lauderdale to the Florida Keys.
At the same time, Simmons remains without an NBA roster for the first time since before entering the league in 2016. His basketball résumé is still impressive: Rookie of the Year in 2018, three-time All-Star, and a First Team All-Defensive selection. But injuries—particularly persistent back issues—have defined recent seasons. After being waived by Brooklyn and playing limited minutes with the Los Angeles Clippers, Simmons chose to step back rather than rush into another uncertain return.
Currently training six days a week in the Los Angeles area, Simmons has committed to a demanding schedule of basketball workouts, strength training, and rehabilitation. The goal is not simply to get back on a court, but to return at full capacity. For him, playing compromised basketball no longer makes sense.
That same mindset carries over into fishing. Simmons does not see himself as a competitive angler within the SFC—at least not yet. Instead, the focus is on building something meaningful: growing the sport, supporting professional anglers, and connecting communities through shared experiences on the water. Ownership, to Simmons, is less about status and more about responsibility.
Fishing itself has been a constant throughout his life. From childhood curiosity about what lay beneath the water’s surface to casual shoreline casting and eventually boat ownership, the progression felt natural. Those early moments—shrimp as bait, a small rod, long hours waiting—formed a foundation that stayed with him even as basketball took center stage. Today, that passion has expanded into offshore fishing, spearfishing, diving, and now professional team ownership.
As Simmons approaches his 30th birthday, perspective seems to guide his decisions more than urgency. Time away from basketball has allowed reflection, including a return to Australia after five years. That distance provided clarity—about identity, priorities, and what fulfillment really looks like beyond public perception.
The NBA remains unfinished business. Competitiveness still burns, and Simmons has not closed the door on another run at the highest level. But unlike earlier chapters, this phase is defined by control rather than pressure. Fishing, with its patience and unpredictability, has offered balance during a period of physical and mental rebuilding.
In the end, whether Simmons’ future headlines are written on a basketball court or far offshore, the trajectory feels intentional. The South Florida Sails are not a distraction from basketball—they are a reflection of growth. For now, the nets he’s focused on aren’t hanging from rims, but trailing behind boats in open water, where success comes not from speed, but from timing, preparation, and trust in the process.
Image/Source: andscapeÂ
