You Can Hate Nets’ Ben Simmons, But You Can’t Hate His New $2m Porsche

Ben Simmons isn’t helping himself at the moment.

The 25-year-old Melburnian, once the darling of Australian basketball, is now one of the sport’s most reviled individuals.

After a disappointing showing with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2021 NBA playoffs, he opted out of playing for his country at the Tokyo Olympics earlier this year in order to “focus on skill development.”Now, the star has drawn criticism for trying to leave the 76ers despite having four years left on his contract, by doing things like putting his US$3.6 million Philadelphia mansion up for sale and purposefully phoning it in during practice. His current actions aren’t winning him any friends. At least he appreciates fine automobiles, though.

Simmons bought a Porsche 918 Spyder at the beginning of September, adding to his extensive collection of luxury vehicles. Spending nearly $2 million on a rare and exotic automobile while your performance has been lackluster isn’t the best career move, but picking a 918 at least proves he has good taste.

It’s safe to sαy that the 918 is one of a kind. Car and Driver confirmed the 0-60 mph time of this plug-in hybrid convertible to be 2.1 seconds. The vehicle is powered by a 4.6L V8 and two electric motors, producing 652kW and 1,280Nm of torque. It was the quickest production car in the world until the Tesla Model S Plaid set a new benchmark early this year.

Simmons’ model also comes with the enticing “Weissach Package,” which is a weight-saving and aerodynamics package that includes unique magnesium wheels and an extended rear diffuser; replacing the roof and other body components with carbon fiber parts; and covering interior parts in Alcantara rather than leather (although Simmons’ seems to have a standard leather interior).

There were only 918 Porsche 918s produced between 2013 and 2015, and despite its headline-grabbing performance, finding one can be difficult. This is due to both high demand and the fαct that many 918s have been destroyed due to their amazing speed. The original asking price was US$845,000, but the price has now increased dramatically. Even more NBA players than Simmons have a 918 at their disposal. Simmons isn’t the only one who owns one; LeBron James does, too, albeit James’s doesn’t feature the Weissach Package that Simmons’ does. Simmons might be criticized to his heart’s content, but no one can question his taste in wheels. Simmons has many other high-priced vehicles in his collection in addition to the 918. Among his many expensive automobiles are a Lamborghini Urus, a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, a Shelby F-150 Super Snake, and two Ferrari 488s (a Spider and a Pista).

For his brother’s birthday earlier this year, he even purchased a brand-new Audi SQ8 SUV. Sounds pleasant.