Simmons’ jumper could lift 76ers

The crowd screamed for Ben Simmons to shoot as he dribbled near the perimeter in a preseason game against a team from China. Joel Embiid motioned for him to let it fly. Simmons took a couple more steps, stopped and popped. Swish. Fans celebrated Simmons’ first career 3-pointer as if the Philadelphia 76ers had just won Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Embiid ran over and hugged him, teammates rushed the court and the internet went wild.

It’s been nearly impossible to mention Simmons without adding jump shot in the conversation since his debut in October 2017. The 23-year-old Simmons is considered one of the best players in the world despite his reluctance to shoot jumpers in his first two seasons.

The All-Star point guard told The Associated Press last month that he allowed criticism to bother him, but he “fell in love with the game again” over the summer during the countless hours he spent in the gym working on his shot.

Simmons realizes adding a jumper would make him a complete player.

“It’s a huge part of the game, so if it’s open I’ll take it,” he said. “I think I was just too worried about what people were saying, what was going on around, too many outside noises, and I was able to block them out this summer and not really focus on what people say. I don’t really care anymore unless it’s coming from someone in my circle or someone who is trying to help me get better.”

Simmons is 0 for 18 from 3-point range in his career, including playoffs, so making one even in a preseason game was a big deal for everyone — except him and his coach.

“I think the whole thing is so overblown,” Brett Brown said. “I think in general, it’s so inflated the attention.”

Simmons sat out his first season with a broken right foot after the process-trusting Sixers selected him No. 1 overall in the 2016 draft. He earned Rookie of the Year honors the following year and became an AllStar for the first time last season. He has helped lead the Sixers to the second round of the NBA playoffs twice, and has averaged 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 7.9 assists.