In basketball, leaning on teammates can elevate an individual’s performance. Conversely, if a key player becomes unreliable, it can create significant challenges for the rest of the team. Georges Niang experienced this firsthand when Ben Simmons refused to play for the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of the 2021/22 season. Three years later, he has opened up about that experience.
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On the Road Trippin’ Show, Niang recalled walking into a mess shortly after signing for the 76ers in August 2021. His hopes of benefiting as a sharpshooter from Simmons‘ playmaking ended abruptly when the latter stepped away. This situation frustrated the 31-year-old and reflected on his feelings.
“That Ben Simmons thing, that pissed me off… I signed just a little over the minimum and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is perfect. I’m a spot-up shooter. This guy f***ing drives the lane. Everybody collapses, and he kicks out. It’s gonna be great for my career’… And he was like, ‘I’m not playing’… And that’s when I was like, ‘F**k this dude’. If I get an opportunity to play against dude, I’m just gonna be an a**hole”.
.@GeorgesNiang20 talks about his issues with Ben Simmons’s holdout while they were teammates in Philly.
Full episode with @Rjeff24, @channingfrye, and @RealAClifton drops tomorrow: https://t.co/mbjvhRxLsf pic.twitter.com/glXoet4HRU
— Road Trippin’ Show (@RoadTrippinPod) July 30, 2024
Niang’s frustration was understandable, given his status in the NBA back then. The 31-year-old had just concluded his best-ever NBA campaign with the Utah Jazz, starting a career-high 10 games. He averaged a career-best 6.9 points per game, shooting 42.5% from beyond the arc. So, he took a significant risk by moving to Philly while hoping for even greater rewards.
However, his hopes came crashing down when Simmons refused to play for the 76ers. Fortunately, the franchise knew Niang’s value. As a rotation player, he appeared in 154 games, averaging 8.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. This eventually helped him secure a 3-year contract worth $25.5 million with the Cleveland Cavaliers last year, making his stint in Philly a success.
As for Simmons, things took an even uglier turn. After a nearly one-and-a-half-year dispute, the 76ers eventually traded him to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for James Harden. The 2018 ROTY struggled to find his rhythm there due to recurring injuries, marking another forgettable chapter in his NBA career. This begs the question.
Why did Ben Simmons refuse to play for the 76ers?
Despite reaching All-Star status by his sophomore NBA season, doubts about Simmons’ offensive abilities always lingered. This repeatedly frustrated the 76ers fans. The tension peaked during Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks when Simmons passed up a wide-open dunk. The franchise eventually lost the game, marking the end of their campaign.
All hell broke loose shortly after, with supporters ridiculing the NBA star. The latter consequently took offense to this, opting for a holdout. Despite the franchise’s best efforts, Simmons refused to budge. Over time, this situation disrupted team chemistry, leaving the franchise with no choice but to trade him away.
However, more than a year into his Nets stint, Simmons softened his stance. In August last year, he expressed his willingness to return to Philly. In a conversation with ESPN’s Marc Spears, he declared,
“People always ask me like, ‘If you were to get traded again where you want it to be?’ I always say, ‘Just Philly. Philly is a second home to me’… It was a crazy situation at the end, but it is what it is”.
Even though Simmons is open to a return, doubts linger about whether fans are ready to accept him. This creates an intriguing situation where both parties are once again at odds. This time, however, the odds seem stacked against the NBA star.
