Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving are two of the most controversial athletes in the NBA at the moment. At the top of their game, both are All-Stars, elite at what they do. But Simmons’ issues with the Philadelphia 76ers and his refusal to play for them won him a lot of critics throughout the last season.
Kyrie Irving is a different matter, most of the controversy surrounding him comes from things related to his stance on the COVID-19 vaccination and other opinions he has. The bottom line is that both have to deal with a lot of online hate and criticism. Even if it may be earned at times, online hate is often excessive, and it takes a toll on the players.
Ben Simmons has opened up about his mental health in a very candid manner recently. He explained his perspective during a recent appearance on JJ Redick’s podcast. And he has a teammate who has dealt with a lot of this himself in Kyrie Irving, which is something Kyrie took the time to address.
Kyrie Irving Says The Brooklyn Nets Being Supportive Will Be Good For Ben Simmons
Preparations for the new season are underway and the Nets are trying to build the team chemistry they lacked last season. Just ask Bruce Brown Jr., who much prefers being on the Nuggets to the time he spent in Brooklyn last season. But getting back on the court is good for Simmons, and Kyrie Irving thinks this will help him mentally, as he said to ESPN.
“It means everything. It means they come in with a peace of mind. And they just enjoy the game of basketball. It’s a profession for sure, I don’t want to knock that, it’s a seriousness about it, but building team camaraderie takes that ability to go through some uncomfortable moments and you got to be balanced mentally, spiritually, emotionally, be able to handle things like that. So I definitely have first-hand experience, I don’t want to make mental health a trend.
“In actuality, it’s one of the most important things that you need out here to be great in anything you do. We all are supportive, we all go through our own things, but we can understand and meet him where he’s at and just have him enjoy the game. Rather than make it feel like it’s something he’s forced to come to at all. So I feel good.”
Simmons does need support if he is going to get back to his best and perform for the Nets. Not feeling supported is what caused a bunch of issues for him with the 76ers, and it seems the Nets won’t repeat that mistake. If they can make it work, though, a trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons will be devastating.
