Sixers News: Ben Simmons Taking Threes May Not Be Laughing Matter Later On

Ben Simmons needs a three-point shot for his NBA career to move forward. And it appears the Philadelphia 76ers star has taken a big step in that direction. Simmons sent everyone into a frenzy after drilling the first three-point shot of his pro career.

Simmons sank his first trey in the final seconds of Philly's game against the Guangzhou Long-Lions. It was a good five-feet from beyond the arc, sending the arena in a frenzy, CBS Sports reported. For those who missed it, check out the video below.

It is no secret that the former top pick has been working on his outside shot in the summer. One-shot may not make much of a difference for the Australian. But if one thinks about it, perfecting that stroke could mean more trouble for opposing teams. All Simmons has to do is take more shots moving forward.

As mentioned in a previous post, a decent outside shot is what is sorely missing from Simmons' arsenal. Former Sixer Charles Barkley believes once Simmons owns a good jumper, he can easily rank among the NBA legends.

“I’m a big Ben Simmons fan. And I want him to do like Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. Keep working on his game, become a very good shooter, because if he keeps working on his jump shot, he’s going to be one of the best to ever do it,” said Barkley.

Some may argue that Simmons making his first three-pointer may be drawing overreaction. That could hold true if it was a one-and-done trey. Looking beyond that, it could make him one of the unstoppable players moving forward. Once the regular season starts, it would not come as a surprise if he attempts frequently if left wide open.

Critics said in the summer dare to see Simmons make that shot in a real game. The Aussie did that in a preseason game and will likely carry that to the regular season. The Sixers star showed a fine shooting form against China. And from the looks of it, he will be locked and loaded for the 2019-20 NBA wars.