McCaffery: Simmons passes another good shot
For one who has been enriched by the sport, basketball has always seemed to be an annoyance to Ben Simmons.
Made to play a year of college basketball by NBA rule, he complained about the inconvenience at every chance. Coincidentally or not, when his team, LSU, had a chance to play in the NIT, it declined.
Eventually selected No. 1 overall by the Sixers in the 2016 draft, he was injured in training camp and, for reasons never fully clear, agreed to sit out an entire year.
After playing one season, he was allowed to develop a jump shot on his own. Yet in quite the public blast of disrespect to his head coach, he resurfaced at the next training camp and dismissed the idea.
Allowed again this summer to go someplace, anyplace and try again to learn to shoot from more than 10 feet, Simmons did so in relative quiet. Yet since he was to join the Australian national team for the FIBA World Cup tournament this summer, there would be the opportunity for NBA fans to monitor what had been rumored as some meaningful development.
Instead, there was the usual. Basketball?
That?
No way.
“I wanted to let everyone know that after consulting with my representation, I’ve made the difficult decision to forego playing in the World Cup in China,” was the statement Simmons made. “Ultimately, we decided it was best that I use the time in September to return to Philadelphia and acquaint myself with my new teammates and prepare for the upcoming NBA season.”
Since the Sixers had just spent $170,000,000 to keep him in Philadelphia through 2025, it was a reasonable decision. Besides, behind those slammed gates in Camden, the Sixers can manufacture their own scouting report. Indeed, Tobias Harris, almost as richly rewarded as Simmons recently, was the first to volunteer as town crier.
“He’s made big improvements on his game,” Harris reported. “His jump shot is looking really good and he had the confidence to shoot.”
Though Harris said he was guarding Simmons at the three-point line, his testimony was full of unforced turnovers. Was there help defense? Were there scouting reports designed to prevent Simmons from going left, or right, or to certain spots? What were the stakes? What were the actual shooting percentages? And what motivation would Harris have had to supply anything but a glowing review?
Simmons did indicate he will play in selected exhibition games for Australia. From those, there will be viral video. But his only real motivation in those gimmicks must be to emerge healthy. Best guess: He runs around a little, dunks against overmatched opponents, then retreats to the privacy of South Jersey.
A few months ago, Brett Brown let the real plan for Simmons slip: That within four years, he should be shooting from distance with reasonably professional results. But if basketball were an inconvenience before, $170,000,000 is not likely to increase his motivation. Take the over.
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With the Dodgers visiting for their only series of the season, the Phillies waited through a lengthy rain delay Wednesday and were able to complete a game.
With that, there were the usual complaints, most delivered by talk-show wags who never go near a ballpark, that the Phillies were somehow greedy, inconsiderate or both.
Breaking: Baseball games can be affected by weather. There may be delays. There may be long delays. And because of that, the predictable, annual spread of manufactured fan-concern is soggy.
Earlier this season, the Phillies offered a free ticket to any fan who’d watched a Twins game in a constant rain. Often, they have done that over the years. It’s good business.
But it’s also good and fair business to wait out the rain, play the games, have them televised and count the results.
••• ••• Given the impact of the one-two combo, there will never be a day for Phillies fans exactly like there was in July of 1995. That’s when tens of thousands of red-clad fans camped on a Cooperstown hill to celebrate the Hall of Fame inductions of both Mike Schmidt and Richie Ashburn. One was the best player ever to wear a Phillies uniform. The other was a popular Whiz Kid who developed a lasting bond with the fans as a broadcaster.
That won’t be duplicated Sunday when the late Roy Halladay is welcomed into the Hall. But as for the bond between a player and a city, few have been as strong.
Halladay played 16 years in the big leagues the first 12 in Toronto. But near the peak of his career, he wanted nothing other than to pitch in Philadelphia. So he did. Spectacularly. For that, his family has asked that the hat engraved on his Hall of Fame plaque be absent of either team’s logo.
For Phillies fans, there can be a no more respectful tip of a cap.
When Bryce Harper, who has demonstrated a similar determination to embrace the city, chose not to wear Halladay’s No. 34, it was clear that it would never again be available. So when the Phillies get around to retiring No. 26, No. 6 and No. 11 for Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins, they owe the Hall of Famer with the blank cap the same honor.
••• FaceApp … I don’t get it.