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Sport Nation
Former NBA star Ben Simmons' surprise move into pro fishing
Sam Kosack • December 24th, 2025 11:23 am
Former Australian NBA star Ben Simmons has returned to the world of competitive sport, but not how you’d expect.
Simmons, who is currently an NBA free agent, has turned to competitive fishing, becoming the majority owner and controlling operator of the South Florida Sails in the Sport Fishing Championship (SFC).
The SFC is a ‘professional offshore saltwater fishing league’ that pits pro anglers against each other in tournaments. There are 16 clubs across the USA competing in 16 tournaments for victory.
A former number one draft pick in the NBA, Simmons joins Scottie Scheffler, Taylor Gooch, and Randy Moss as SFC celebrity owners.
“The way I see it, it’s like the new F1 for fishing. The new LIV Golf for fishing,” Simmons told Andscape.
“The first real competitive sport fishing championship… and so, we’ll go out there and compete in various different tournaments, and there’ll be a champion crowned at the end.
“It’s a point-scored system. So, you’re fishing for white marlin, blue marlin, sailfish and striped marlin. There are all different point systems for each one.
“It’s a very niche sport. And if you don’t know, you don’t know. But once you experience it and get out there and see what it’s about, you’re kind of in awe of what the sport is.
“That’s just something I’ve always been interested in in terms of the sport of fishing. The technique. And there’s so much to it that people just don’t understand. These guys are fishing on million-dollar vessels, and they’re out for days at a time. So, it’s tedious and gritty, but a lot of fun.
“It’s one of those worlds where you just have to kind of experience it, get into it and see what it’s about.
“There are multiple franchises that are being sold right now. They do one at a time. At the time, I was in Miami and got the opportunity to invest and then when I saw what they were doing and what they were building, I wanted to be a majority owner. And I’m the majority owner of the South Florida Sails.
“It was a little bit of luck and just timing with everything, and it just felt so right given the position I was in and what I was really invested in in terms of what I was spending time doing.
“To go from playing in the NBA and then having opportunities to own a sailing team that’s based in Miami, where I call home now, is special. I just didn’t want to pass up on that. I really believe in this.”
Simmons is still hopeful he’ll return to the NBA after a career has been heavily impacted by injury.
At just 29, Simmons could go down as a ‘what if?’ in the NBA if he doesn’t find his way back, averaging 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists a game across his career at the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers.
