It’s been more than a year since Ben Simmons dramatically collapsed against the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the 2021 NBA playoffs, missing an incredible layup/dunk below the rim, making a pass instead, and losing a big opportunity to help his former team win that match.
In the end, the Philadelphia 76ers couldn’t beat the Atlanta Hawks in the postseason, and a lot of people blamed Simmons for that. The player really felt that pressure and succumbed to it, refusing to rejoin the team for a while and then forcing a trade out of Philly.
He’s been in Brooklyn since March, but controversies haven’t finished at Barclays Center. Moreover, the infamously missed dunk is often brought up against Simmons, and no matter how many times he defends himself or other people like Trae Young speak up in Simmons’ favor, there will always be criticism for him.
Ben Simmons Explains What He Would Have Made Different During Missed Dunk In 2021
During a recent interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Simmons opened up on a variety of topics, including that infamous play that earned him a lot of criticism. Simmons showed some remorse about that but also stated that he received more hate than necessary for what he calls a ‘bad play.’
Matters came to a head in a June 2021 final against the Atlanta Hawks, when Simmons, who was underperforming at the time, had an opportunity to dunk the ball – or be fouled – but instead passed. His critics howled that his shooting deficiency had made him a liability, frightened of taking free throws. He was branded a coward over a split-second decision. “If I could go back I would go up strong, go to the line,” Simmons says. “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.”
No matter what argument he throws in there, Simmons will always get criticized. Shaquille O’Neal has been one of his biggest critics, and he doesn’t think that Simmons’ thought process was the right one for that play. Shaq constantly bashed Ben, and perhaps this new statement will get an answer from the Big Diesel too.
Meanwhile, Simmons keeps trying to find his form in Brooklyn to help the Nets compete in the Eastern Conference after a rough start to the season when Steve Nash was fired.
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