Former NBA star Ben Simmons has captured an unexpected championship title away from basketball after helping his team win a major sport fishing competition in the Bahamas.
Simmons led the South Florida Sails to victory at the 2026 Walker’s Cay Open, part of the Sport Fishing Championship series. His team topped the leaderboard through strong performances in blue marlin catches, finishing well ahead of their nearest competitors.
Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer
The event forms part of a professional offshore fishing league that features multiple teams competing across North America in a season-long points format. Simmons, who now holds a controlling ownership stake in the franchise, also competed directly as part of the winning lineup.
The former Philadelphia 76ers No. 1 draft pick and three-time NBA All-Star has shifted his focus away from basketball in recent months, instead becoming heavily involved in the sport fishing circuit. His latest success adds another milestone to a career that has taken a very different direction since his NBA days.
Simmons’ transition into fishing has drawn attention across the sports world, as he continues to expand his role both as an athlete and team owner in a growing professional league that blends competition with celebrity investment.
While questions remain over a potential basketball comeback, Simmons’ latest achievement underlines that his competitive drive has now found a new arena on the water.
