Getty Ben Simmons #10 of the Brooklyn Nets.
The Philadelphia 76ers still live rent-free in Ben Simmons’ head. Case in point: he can’t stop talking about how things ended in the City of Brotherly Love two seasons ago when Simmons passed up an open layup mere inches away from the cup in the closing moments of a Game Seven loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Recently, Simmons sat down with Konrad Marshall of the Sydney Morning Herald to discuss the former star’s NBA past, present, and now murky future. And unsurprisingly, Simmons’ failed tenure in Philadelphia came up.
“I definitely didn’t handle it the right way after the season, but there’s two sides,” he said to the Marshall. “Your teammates are supposed to have your back. Your coaches are supposed to have your back. And I didn’t have that at all.”
Ultimately, Simmons doesn’t believe he bears all the responsibility for the Sixers’ humiliating loss.
Ben Simmons reacts to the passed-up dunk from Game 7 in the 2021 Playoffs 👀
(via @OldManAndThree)
“If I could go back I would go up strong, go to the line. But there was so much emphasis on that moment. I made a bad play, but loads of guys made bad plays. I’m not the reason we didn’t win.”
It’s not the first time recently that Simmons has poured dirt on his former team.
Simmons Disses Relationship With Joel Embiid
On October 14 Nick Friedell of ESPN published an interview with Simmons covering a litany of topics, including Simmons’ new digs with the Brooklyn Nets, his shooting, and yes, Embiid.
Let’s just say, you can’t lose something that never existed in the first place.
Friedell: While we’re on this topic — have you talked to Joel [Embiid] yet?
Simmons: I don’t talk to Jo. We never really spoke.
Friedell: You guys had a lot of sucess when you were there. How would you describe that relationship now?
Simmons: I don’t think there was really a relationship there. Like in terms of a friendship? You can try as hard as you want to try to be close to somebody, be their friend, whatever it is, but everyone is different as people, so for me, it’s never personal. I don’t have any anger or hate towards him. He is who he is and I am who I am.
In essence, Simmons’ thoughts confirm what most fans and media outsiders already believed: whatever relationship existed between Embiid and Simmons was rocky at best. Simmons never appeared to fully embrace the rough-and-tumble fandom that is Philadelphia. Embiid, on the other hand, took boos and heckles in stride and was more than rewarded for it.
In speaking with Marshall, Simmons echoed a common refrain we’ve already heard from the former Sixer.
Simmons Goes in on Sixers Head Coach Doc Rivers
While few Sixers fans would likely be caught dead with Simmons, there might be something the two sides agree on: a general disdain for Doc Rivers. For fans, the disdain is due in no small part to Rivers’ game mismanagement over the last two-plus seasons. And for Simmons, his dislike of Rivers stems from how Rivers handled Simmons’ complaints of poor mental health leading up to last season.
“‘I still wasn’t ready in my head. I wasn’t in a place to get on the court and play,’ Simmons told Marshall. ‘I went to Coach and said, ‘I’m not ready yet to get back on the court, I need some time.’ He says, ‘Well, I’m going to put you out there regardless.’ Okay, so now you’re just trying to f–k with me.'”
Simmons has yet to find his former All-NBA form this season with the Brooklyn Nets. He’s averaging just 6.2 points per game, the lowest of his career. Further, he look a shell of his former defensive star-self.