76ers' Ben Simmons 'Comfortable' Shooting Jumpers After Viral Summer Videos

Ben Simmons' jumper has been under the microscope since he entered the NBA in 2016, and after an offseason full of viral videos, the Philadelphia 76ers star feels "comfortable" with his shot.

"I'm comfortable. I'm ready to play. I'm ready to be who I am as a player, continue to develop and keep working," Simmons told Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press. "It's a process. It takes time. Obviously, people always want to see results straightaway, but that's not how things work."

Across his first two years in the NBA, Simmons has gone a combined 0-for-17 from three-point range. His inability to knock down shots from the perimeter has led to opposing teams daring him to shoot the ball. Thus far, he has not made them pay.

However, the 6'10", 230-pound guard has been putting in the work to improve his shot. And based on footage from this summer, it appears as though he does now have some range to his game:

Sixers teammate Tobias Harris discussed Simmons' improved jumper earlier this summer:

“Everybody was trying to figure out why I was guarding him at the three-point line, but it was really because he hit two of them. When I dared him to shoot two of them, he hit two in a row. That's why I was there. He's made big improvements on his game. His jump shot is looking really good and he the confidence to shoot."

That isn't to say Simmons will look like Steph Curry 2.0 next season, as the 23-year-old admitted his shot is still a work in progress. However, he may finally make teams respect his range. 

The 2019 All-Star said he "fell in love with the game again" over the summer, per Maaddi, which helped to fuel his development:

"I feel like this summer, I fell in love with the game again. I kind of got back to who I was and having fun with the game. I felt like the past season, I lost that enjoyment side of it, but I feel like this summer has been huge for me. Just the work I've been putting in, I kinda fell in love with putting that work in again. And I've been in the gym every day working, and the results have been paying off. So I'm excited for the season to start."

Simmons has guided the 76ers to the postseason in each of his first two healthy seasons, reaching the Eastern Conference semifinals both times. Though Philadelphia lost four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler and veteran guard JJ Redick in free agency, it did add five-time All-Star Al Horford and Josh Richardson while re-signing Harris.

"We're locked in. We're ready to play," Simmons told Maaddi. "... I think it's going to be an exciting year for the 76ers."