Ben Simmons' tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers is over, but his time with the team still leaves a lot to be discovered. The star point guard, now with the Brooklyn Nets, will always be remembered for the graceless end to his time with the Sixers. He revealed some more insight about the last year he spent with the team, including a story about head coach Doc Rivers.
On the podcast of former teammate JJ Redick, The Old Man and the Three, Simmons discussed Rivers kicking him out of practice and the Sixers acting in a way that made him feel even more like the odd man out.
"I was trying to do the right thing and I just was not in that place to play… It seems like everyone's just trying to f*ck with me now."
Ben Simmons on getting kicked out of practice last season by Doc Rivers
(via @OldManAndThree)pic.twitter.com/O61RISYrJf
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) September 22, 2022
“I was trying to do the right thing and I just was not in that place to play,” Simmons said when asked why he returned to Sixers practice ahead of the 2021-22 season. “I just couldn't do it…I actually spoke to Doc before practice. I was like, ‘Doc, I'm not ready mentally. I'm not ready. Please just understand that.’ And he's like, ‘Well, I'm gonna put you in any way.’”
It seems like everyone's just trying to f**k with me now,” Simmons continued. “Obviously, I didn't handle things the right way but also the team didn't either.” His reluctance to play for the Sixers made him public enemy no. 1 in Philadelphia. He was eventually traded in the deal that netted the Sixers James Harden. After dealing with back issues upon his arrival in Brooklyn, he will seemingly be back on the floor this season for the Nets.
The end of Ben Simmons' time on the Sixers has enough twists and turns to be written about in a book. With so many perspectives to look at it from, including those of Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid, the situation will go down as one of the most bizarre in NBA history.
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