Sad: Bronny James has already passed Ben Simmons in career 3-pointers made

On Thursday night, Bronny James quietly made NBA history. Not league-wide history, mind you. Just the kind of absurd, niche stat that’s so ridiculous it demands attention.

Bronny James hit a career-high 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting against the Bucks, dropped 5 assists, grabbed 3 rebounds, and knocked down his sixth three-pointer of the season.

Why is that important outside of the tired, played-out storylines surrounding Bronny James? Well, here in Philly, it immediately reminded us that Bronny has now drilled one more three than our old friend Ben Simmons has hit in his entire career.

Bronny had himself a career night, passing Simmons in career threes in the process

BRONNY CAME TO HOOP TONIGHT 🔥🙌

17 PTS (CAREER-HIGH)
7-10 FG
5 AST
3 REB
30 MINS pic.twitter.com/ox8IB8YdGl

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 21, 2025

Let That Sink In…

Given the current state of Philadelphia 76ers basketball and the extended “crash and burn” of Ben Simmons’ in the NBA, it’s a pretty wild statistic to point out, right?

• Bronny James. Rookie. If anything, Bench minutes and criticism for being the son of LeBron James. Still learning how to find his role in the league. Six made threes.

• Ben Simmons. Former No. 1 pick. Rookie of the Year. 6’10” floor general. All-NBA defender. Five career threes.

Not in a season. Not in a month. In his career.

Look, obviously Ben Simmons is still a better all-around player than Bronny James right now. He defends, rebounds, and sees the floor like a seasoned vet when he’s healthy.

But the reality is, we are in the “shoot-or-sit” era of the NBA. If you can’t space the floor, you better be elite at everything else. And right now? Ben Simmons can’t shoot and isn’t elite at anything anymore.

He’s become a shell of the version we saw in Philly—the guy who used to push in transition, control tempo, and confidently finish in traffic. Now, he’s hesitant, passive, and physically unreliable.

Meanwhile, Bronny James is barely getting started and has already done the one thing that’s haunted Simmons his entire career.

There was a time when Simmons was supposed to be the next big thing. Magic Johnson comparisons, highlight passes, All-Star nods. But now? He’s fighting to stay relevant in a league that no longer has patience for non-shooters.

And while Bronny still has a long way to go, the fact that he’s already passed Simmons in made threes in year one is both hilarious and sad.

You don’t have to be Steph Curry to survive in today’s NBA—but you can’t be allergic to shooting either.

If Bronny James continues to knock down open looks and play within himself, he’s got a real shot to carve out a long-term role. If Ben Simmons can’t evolve? He’s one awkward contract away from becoming an NBA footnote.

And now, every time Bronny hits a three, somewhere, Ben Simmons’ legacy takes another hit.

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