FaZe Clan announces NBA star Ben Simmons as newest investor

FaZe Clan has announced their newest recruit with the addition of Philadelphia 76ers player Ben Simmons as FaZe Simmo. The NBA star joins the North American esports organization as an investor and ambassador. Simmons will leverage his fanbase toward content creation, promoting the organization, and future expansion plans.   

We've always been a fan,
He's always been a fan,
And now it's official.

Welcome to the fam @BenSimmons25 👑 pic.twitter.com/1CqtxAMBFM

— FaZe Clan (@FaZeClan) August 25, 2020

Ben Simmons invests in FaZe Clan

Ben Simmons commented in a statement: 

Gaming is an important part of my life, and so it was a natural progression to personally invest in this industry. FaZe Clan represents the pinnacle of the gaming culture, and I am really looking forward to connecting with new fans around the globe.

Ben Simmons has a vested interest in the space. His first introduction to gaming came after his parents bought a PlayStation during his childhood. Simmons grew up playing and watching Call of Duty, which FaZe Clan built its legacy on top of. 

In addition, Simmons has an existing connection with many of the members that are part of the organization. He has his own channel on Twitch where he regularly live-streams himself playing FaZe Clan content creators. He even appeared on the front cover of SLAM magazine with FaZe Temperrr, where Simmons stated in an interview that gaming was part of his game-day routine because it helped him relax. 

FaZe Clan is unlike a traditional esports organization, with its status as one of the leading lifestyle brands in the scene. As such, Ben Simmons’ investment in FaZe Clan isn’t unusual since basketball and gaming have so many intersections. Several athletes have invested in the popular esports organization, with names like Meyers Leonard, Josh Hart, Nyjah Huston, Jamal Murray, and Gregory van der Wiel. There are also celebrity investors that include Offset, Pitbull, Swae Lee, Yo Gotti, and more.