Ben Simmons Wins Blue Marlin Open by 1,500 Points With South Florida Sails
Updated
Updated · Fox News · May 20
Ben Simmons Wins Blue Marlin Open by 1,500 Points With South Florida Sails
8 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 20
South Florida Sails finished with 2,925 points to win the Sport Fishing Championship Blue Marlin Open in the Bahamas, giving Ben Simmons a title as an angler for the team he co-owns.
Alex Stanley's two blue marlin releases powered the early surge, including a 450-point catch that helped South Florida lead after Day 1 before a dominant Saturday built an insurmountable cushion.
The Sails beat the runner-up New Jersey Sea Birds by nearly 1,500 points, effectively sealing the event before Sunday's final day.
Simmons, the 2016 No. 1 NBA draft pick and a three-time All-Star, has not played since his lone season with the Clippers and became an NBA free agent after the 2024-25 season.
His ownership stake in the Sails was announced in December, underscoring a shift from basketball toward competitive fishing and sports investment.
Can a fishing championship redefine an NBA All-Star's controversial legacy?
Will celebrity investment elevate sport fishing or threaten the marine ecosystems it depends on?