Brookln Nets forward Jared Dudley has clarified his comments about Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons. According to Dudley, he meant no disrespect when he called Simmons an average player in the halfcourt set.
Dudley said that his comments was him putting his coach or analyst hat on. The 12-year pro admitted that he's a player who doesn't really care what other people think of his thoughts.
“My comments were directed basically as me being a coach or an analyst, talking about how we’re going to guard someone. How we’re going to guard him is try to put him in the half court. The difference is I’m a player who voices my opinion more directly, not really caring what their feelings are about,” Dudley told reporters during a media scrum, per Ian Begley of ESPN.
For Jared Dudley, Ben Simmons is an average halfcourt player, noting that opponents can predict where he's going and what type of shot he'll take. However, come a transition opportunity, Simmons is one of the best out there.
“My feeling is he’s average in the half court which is where you want to put him because he’s elite, All-Star level in the full court. He’s someone that can give you a lot of different stuff (in the full court).
Dudley also added that he's defended the likes of Kobe Bryant, Dirk Nowitzki and Brandon Roy — guys that you have to defend all the way out since they're elite scorers. Simmons, meanwhile, is a different type of player. His value is in rebounds and assists, and that's where opponents should try to pin him down.
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