Simmons missing the All-Star game may actually be a good thing

Ben Simmons is really good at what he does and is only getting better. Yes, he probably definitely deserved a spot on the All Star team, especially after the onslaught of injuries by players picked over him, but sometimes things just don’t go your way. If Simmons’ first season so far as a professional has shown anything, it’s that this will not be the only shot he has at making an All Star team in his career. While Sixers fans may be clamoring to see Simmons play against the NBA’s best, him missing out on the game might actually do him some good.

There is no denying that right now Ben Simmons isn’t a complete player, and there’s nothing wrong with that. His jump shot is inconsistent to say the very least and he refuses to take a three pointer, and until those turn into at least respectable pieces of his game, Simmons won’t be using all of his talent. He can pass with the best of them and drive the lane to finish around the rim, but a point guard who can’t shoot is a concern. Ben Simmons has been very even keel this season, with the occasional yell after a great play, he is mostly level headed. People around the star know how competitive he is, so the hope should be that being snubbed for the All Star team will give him some extra motivation this season for the playoff push, because if there’s one thing you can’t stop, it’s an angry Ben Simmons.

Playing with some extra tenacity this season would be great, but when it comes to the offseason Simmons will need to work almost exclusively on his shot. The dream scenario would be for Simmons to develop it enough that he comes out next year and proves doubters wrong about his game and seeks revenge for being snubbed, but this time with a much more rounded offensive game. He may never need to be a dead-eye shooter from outside or make every mid-range jumper, but if he can make defenses have to worry about leaving him open from outside, he can truly start dominating.

Yeah, the NBA may have snubbed the big Australian, but that may have just put a world of hurting on the rest of the league in the near future. Not saying that the jumper wouldn’t be a target in the offseason had Simmons made the All Star team, but now he has a little bit of extra motivation in the tank. Joel Embiid may be the first Post-Process Sixer to be named an All Star, but Ben Simmons shouldn’t be far behind. The league wide domination is coming soon, and this snub may just make the fire burn even brighter when the time comes.

Side Note: It may be a game where no defense is played, but the fact that Simmons makes these plays look so easy is something that Sixers fans shouldn’t take for granted.