Former 76ers Coach Larry Brown Believes Ben Simmons is as Good as Anybody

Philadelphia 76ers' starting point guard Ben Simmons is never one to avoid criticism. Despite being a former Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-Star in just three seasons, Simmons' accomplishments never seem to overshadow his weaknesses.

By now, everybody knows where Simmons' game is lacking. Although the versatile guard has proven every now and then he has the ability to knock down a mid-to-long range jump shot, the third-year veteran remained hesitant to attempt it more often than not throughout the 2019-2020 NBA season.

After seeing a summer's worth of montage videos of Simmons utilizing his jump shot in workouts throughout the 2019 offseason, many expected it all to translate to the game this season. Once again, though, Simmons was admittedly hesitant to unleash his jump shot throughout the year. Therefore, his critics kept the same energy in 2019-20. 

We know how NBA fans feel about Simmons' jump shot, but how does a former 76ers head coach view the situation? "I can't believe people in Philly are worried about Ben Simmons shooting a three-pointer," said Hall of Fame head coach Larry Brown, on the Sixers Talk Podcast this week.

"That kid is as good as any player in the league," Brown continued. "He doesn't need to shoot a three-pointer. God might punish me for saying that, but he can guard, he rebounds the ball, he passes the ball as well as anybody -- he's completely unselfish."

Brown makes multiple valid points, which surely shouldn't go unnoticed. However, while praising Simmons, the former head coach, also faced the reality that today's NBA is much different compared to when he used to be involved.

"It's a completely different game," Brown admits. "If you look at the teams back then, the only guys who shot three-pointers are the guys who could make it. Now everybody shoots a three-pointer." The exact reason why NBA fans and even more specifically, Sixers fans, are always begging for Simmons to unleash that part of his game.

[RELATED: Would Michael Jordan Dislike Joel Embiid?]

Will Simmons attempt to fire off more threes when the NBA returns? He says so, but it remains to be seen. While Simmons' weaknesses might hold him back from reaching the status of an all-around elite player, in the meantime, his other elite skillsets shouldn't be overlooked.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_