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“Ben Simmons is a softie”: When Joel Embiid tried to ‘warn’ NBA fans about the Sixers DPOY well before his fallout with the 76ers organization

Samir Mehdi
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“Ben Simmons is a softie”: When Joel Embiid tried to ‘warn’ NBA fans about the Sixers DPOY well before his fallout with the 76ers organization

Joel Embiid repeatedly called Ben Simmons ‘a softie’ in a workout video during a training session, ‘predicting’ the impending fallout. 

The Ben Simmons debacle in Philadelphia has seemingly reached a stalemate. The DPOY candidate has made it clear he wants to be moved from the 76ers while the latter are actively trying to get him to training camp to convince him to stay with the team. This strategy, more likely than not, is merely just to increase his trade stock as it is at an all-time low at the moment. 

It was even reported that Joel Embiid and the Sixers players were adamant on flying to Ben Simmons to try to talk to him. Simmons however, rejected this offer and said he did not wish to speak with his ‘former’ teammates.

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Joel Embiid seemed to have had enough of Simmons a couple days ago and took to his media availability to say that the Sixers offense was tailored to his needs, yet they still could not succeed. 

Ben Simmons gets called a softie by Joel Embiid during a workout. 

One of the main gripes with Ben Simmons is that he refuses to work on developing his game while simultaneously wanting to be the focal point of an offense. Shaquille O’Neal even called him ‘soft’ on several occasions and Joel Embiid didn’t hold back on using that word either. 

The video shows both Simmons and Embiid working out together a while back with the former walking around with a rather heavy ball hoisted above his shoulders. From the corner, Joel sarcastically yells out multiple times, “Soft, softie.”

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Now, this is obviously sarcasm from the MVP candidate’s side but it is strange that he chose to call Ben the one thing that he gets called the most by his critics. This was filmed well before their eventual collapse and so it’s more likely than not that this video was made in good fun. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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