“I’ve always had Ben Simmons’ back, and now I have the opportunity to be with him, I wish I was with him earlier in his career”: Patty Mills gets candid on his bond with fellow Australian and Nets teammate

Veteran guard Patty Mills gives an insight into his relationship with fellow Aussie and Nets teammate Ben Simmons.

With the trade deadline around the corner, hoop fans across the globe were in for a big surprise. The Sixers and the Nets entered a deal that would have Ben Simmons and James Harden traded. The blockbuster trade was announced a few hours before the All-Star draft.

Simmons has been a regular in the headlines ever since his performance in the last season’s conference semi-finals against the Hawks. The former ROTY failed to perform up to expectations, making him the subject of trolling and hate.

Such was the situation that even coach Doc Rivers and teammate Joel Embiid expressed their doubts over Simmons’ potential as the Sixers point guard. Post his playoff debacle, Simmons had no plans to return to Philly and had expressed his wish to be traded, leading to a saga of controversies.

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With the trade happening a couple of days ago, Simmons has finally found himself a home in Brooklyn, playing alongside fellow countryman Patty Mills.

Patty Mills welcomes Ben Simmons to the Brooklyn Nets.

Mills’ relationship with Simmons has been relatively unknown. During a recent press conference, the veteran spoke about guiding Simmons from the very beginning and how he wished he would have been with him earlier on in his career.

“I’ve got his back. I’ve always had his back, and now I have the opportunity to be with him. I’ve had his back from afar and I wish I was with him earlier in his career. So I’m excited to be with him in this aspect and help him in any way necessary. That’s how always it’s kind of been. For us to come together, it’s kind of going to be great for both of us.”

Simmons currently faces the toughest challenge as he plans to return to the hardwood after a hiatus marked with several controversies. The 25-year old has engaged in therapy sessions following his fallout with the Philadelphia franchise. Thus Simmons should be prepared for all kinds of scrutiny.

The three-time All-Star’s blatant refusal to play with his former team not only led to him losing out financially but also earned him a lot of flak. Thus Simmons finds himself in the right place where he could be guided by the likes of veterans such as Mills, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin.

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Not to forget, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving are the perfect teammates to help Simmons improve his game on the offensive side of schemes.