There are always a few inevitable items that you can count on before the start of an NBA season. The Golden State Warriors will have a loaded roster, and be considered the favorites to win the NBA championship. A rookie, who hasn't played a regular season game, we'll be touted as the next face of the NBA. And Ben Simmons will talk about how much he's improved, right before having a disappointing season.
While speaking with Marc J Spears from Andscape, Simmons said, " The version I'm at now, if I was playing against myself from last season, I would kill him."
What does it mean that Ben Simmons is better than last year?
Ben Simmons loves to talk about the improvements he's made in his game or his health. He talks about how he's improved his 3-point shooting, and then can't hit a 3-point shot to save his life. He talks about how he's healthier than he's ever been, right before playing 42 games in a season. In terms of him being better than last year, we can believe that claim, because it's hard to be any worse.
In 2022-23, Simmons averaged just 6.9 points per game. Good for 200th in the league. Is it possible the 2023-24 version of Simmons could destroy last year's model? Absolutely. Based on his statistics from last season, Patrick Williams, Doug McDermott, and Aaron Nesmith would destroy him too.
The hype surrounding Ben Simmons is understandable. He's nearly 7-feet tall, handles the ball as a point guard, and is a triple-double machine. He's a good defender, and he gets to the rim quickly and easily. As much as there is to be excited about, he has some major warts as well. He can't stay healthy, and he can't hit a shot that's more than 10 feet from the basket.
We don't know if Ben Simmons is going to have a good season this year. We don't even know if he's going to be better than he was last year. But he sure seems to think so, and apparently, his self-confidence is newsworthy. All we can really say on the matter is, "Good for you Ben Simmons. We all need a pat on the back every now and then. Even if it's our own hand doing the patting."
