Former All-Star Ben Simmons has had a wild career in the NBA. Going from a franchise cornerstone to being a candidate for the worst contract in the league, Ben has been subject to unrelenting scrutiny but he says that anyone who challenges his love and passion for the game is dead wrong.
“That’s them making sh*t up,” said Simmons, via ClutchPoints. “Like, imagine if I just said like, name whoever, and said whatever. It doesn’t hold any weight, you know? Like, where does it come from? It’s just their thought, it’s their opinion, and everyone’s entitled to their opinion, but I’ve been doing this my whole life since I was four years old. So nothing is going to change that.”
Simmons, 28, was drafted first overall in 2016. Coming out of LSU, Ben was lauded for his court vision, defense, and impressive finishing ability. After four years with the 76ers, however, Simmons’ career took a turn for the worse and his reputation has yet to recover.
“For the league, it 100% [has a negative domino effect]. Because nothing’s really valid now. Everyone can say what they want, and I mean, it is what it is. That’s where the world’s going in terms of covering the sport,” said Simmons. “I’m not going to change everyone’s opinion. It’s not my job.”
Things turned ugly for Simmons during the 2021 NBA playoffs when the 76ers were bounced in the second round by the Atlanta Hawks. Simmons had a moment in the game where he passed up an open dunk that exposed his lack of confidence to the entire NBA world.
After hearing the post-game comments from Ben Simmons and Doc Rivers, Simmons opted to cut ties with the organization and he refused to play for them again. After making a big deal of forcing his way out, Ben moved on to the Brooklyn Nets where things continued to spiral out of control.
In three years with the Nets, he only played in 90 games, averaging just 6.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game despite being one of the highest-paid players in the league. He watched as the Nets fell apart during his tenure, going from Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to Cam Johnson and Lonnie Walker.
Now, Simmons is on the Los Angeles Clippers trying to make a comeback. This season, through seven games, Ben is averaging 19.7 minutes per game but his stats are the lowest of his career so far at 5.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game on 48.4% shooting.
This season, Simmons has made $39.25 million but it could be the last time he gets that kind of salary unless he can return to his All-Star form. Clearly, he wants respect for his career and the favor of the fans but his body of work has been nothing short of disappointing so far and many believe he hasn’t earned the fan support.
At one point, Ben Simmons was supposed to be the NBA’s next big star but he’s become a complete afterthought after abandoning the 76ers. Whether it’s lingering issues or a total loss of confidence, Simmons may never be the same and he’s virtually unrecognizable from the guy who was voted an All-Star from 2019 to 2021. Only a miracle will set him back on the star track.
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