Sixers Assistant Sam Cassell is Putting Ben Simmons' Shot to Work
Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons has been one of the more scrutinized young stars throughout his first few years in the league. As he was the first-overall pick in 2015, it comes as no surprise that everything about his game is under a microscope.
While Simmons has established himself as one of the better young stars in the league with several All-Star nods in three seasons, the questions surrounding his jump shot, or lack thereof, always tend to overshadow everything great about his game.
Last season, Simmons teased the idea of him taking more mid-to-long range shots. While he did drain a couple of threes throughout the year, the two-time All-Star barley unleashed his shot as he admitted confidence was an issue.
Heading into the bubble over the summer, Simmons was ready to let it fly. Unfortunately, a knee injury set him back and sent him off to surgery, ending his season early. At this point, Simmons is healthy and partaking in training camp.
While we were left without any videos of Simmons draining threes during workouts this offseason, the veteran guard did offer some excitement on Monday as he revealed he's been working with new Sixers assistant Sam Cassell, who has a solid track record of helping players develop better jumpers.
"Prior to training camp starting, we would just go with the flow and workout," Simmons said in regards to working with Cassell. "[We worked on] a lot of mid-range game, a lot of corner spot threes, lane threes, finishing around the rim -- so a bit of everything. Then, more so into training camp after practices and before, getting a lot of shots up."
Cassell, a former NBA veteran, and a three-time champion, has a stellar reputation for developing guards in the NBA. Since becoming a coach in 2009, the former guard has received ringing endorsements from players he helped out.
Perhaps, his most significant endorsement came from former Washington Wizards star John Wall. As Cassell took on his first coaching gig with the Wizards back in 2009, he helped develop Wall's game further, and the star guard credits Cassell for working with him to fine-tune his shot in the NBA.
While many argue Simmons is not a true guard considering his size and unwillingness to shoot, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers doesn't see it that way at all. Rivers won't give Simmons a permanent position this season, but the veteran head coach made it clear on Monday that the All-Star will continue to run the offense -- jump shot or not.
Will Cassell help Simmons finally tap into his full potential by utilizing a jumper consistently? I wouldn't bank on it as history doesn't favor change in this scenario. However, Cassell could end up doing wonders for Simmons and the Sixers as he's been working closely with the young guard to help him take his game to the next level.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
