So yesterday I’m watching highlights, right? And this clip of Ben Simmons pops up talking after a game. Something felt… off. His voice. Like, I swear it sounded different from when he was a rookie. Weirder accent, almost like he was trying to sound more American? Or was it just me? Got me wondering, is Ben Simmons’ accent actually changing?
Starting the Deep Dive (Kind Of)
Okay, first thing I did: opened YouTube. Searched the hell out of “Ben Simmons interview rookie” and “Ben Simmons interview 2024”. Grabbed a coffee, told myself this was research lol. Listened to him from back in like 2016, fresh off the boat from Australia. You hear it clear as day – strong Aussie twang, especially saying words like “no” or “here”. Sounds like my cousin from Melbourne.
Then I jumped to recent stuff, after his comeback. And yeah, man, it was different. Not totally gone, but way thinner. The Aussie sounds are weaker. More like an American dude who spent a few summers in Australia. He kinda sorta sounds like he’s from nowhere specific, if you know what I mean? Less ocker Aussie.
Getting Stuck & Figuring It Out
Ran into a problem quick: finding lots of clean audio was tough. Early interviews? Bad sound quality. Recent stuff? He doesn’t talk much. Had to dig through fan-recorded pressers and old podcasts. Took ages. Also hard to compare directly years apart without hearing the same words. Needed a better plan.
So here’s what I did instead:
- Focused on specific words: Hunted down clips where he says things Aussies say differently. Like “out”, “about”, “can’t”.
- Listened for changes in vowels: Paying attention to how his A’s and I’s sounded over time.
- Noticed the rhythm: Aussies often have this up-and-down way of talking. Looked for if that flattened out.
This helped. You could hear the shift happening gradually in little bits. The big change kinda broke around 2020/2021 maybe? After he moved to Brooklyn? It’s subtle at first, but listening to stuff side-by-side? Yeah, noticeable. No doubt.
Why Though? Just Guessing
Didn’t interview the guy obviously! But thinking logically:
- Lived in the US for years now: He came over as a teen, soaked up Philly first, then Brooklyn.
- Surrounded by Americans: Teammates, coaches, most people he talks to daily speak American English.
- You naturally shift: Happens to anyone living abroad long enough. Your mouth just starts copying the sounds you hear most.
Kinda makes sense his Aussie accent got watered down. Probably wasn’t even trying hard. Just happened. Human thing.
Didn’t need fancy gear for this, just my laptop speakers and headphones. Though man, my cheap mic sounds tinny – maybe I need an upgrade before podcasting. Bet a good one costs more than my old car haha! Wonder if Ben Simmons pays for voice lessons? Nah, probably not. Seems accidental.
