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Ben Simmons has always been considered one of the more talented players in the NBA, but after several seasons, he has become perhaps the league’s biggest enigma.
He has failed to expand his game since being the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and many have accused him of being soft and lacking motivation.
Mikal Bridges, one of his teammates on the Brooklyn Nets, says that he still has Simmons’ back and that he’s confident the 6-foot-10 point guard will bounce back from adversity.
"He's the one talking in the chat all the time and we all f**k with him."
Mikal on Ben Simmons the teammate + why him & PG are still riding with Ben the player 💯
New episode with @mikal_bridges PREMIERING NOW: https://t.co/leLf44wCyZ pic.twitter.com/aT6uyiPVwV
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) July 24, 2023
Simmons was a member of the Philadelphia 76ers until the 2021-22 season, when he created a firestorm seemingly out of nothing.
The previous spring, the team blew Game 5 and Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at home to the seemingly inferior Atlanta Hawks, and much attention was focused on Simmons, who played very poorly in the decisive game of the series.
Afterward, then-head coach Doc Rivers was asked if Simmons could be the starting point guard in a championship game, and he simply replied that he didn’t know.
Somehow, Simmons took the reply as a big insult, and he demanded a trade while cutting off nearly all communication with members of the Sixers organization.
After trading Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets have a young and hungry team, and Simmons could help them overachieve a bit if he is fully committed and in the right frame of mind.
He is still a very unique player thanks to his explosive skills in the open court and his ability to defend at an All-NBA level, and at age 27, he may still have a little bit of time to tap into his potential.
NEXT: Mikal Bridges Makes Clear Statement On Nets’ Roster Amid Rumors
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