The Philadelphia 76ers’ investment in the ‘Process’ centered on Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons led many to believe they would dominate in the future. However, after seven years, they made headlines for the wrong reasons. Gilbert Arenas, a former 3-time All-Star, shared his opinions on active NBA players like Nikola Jokic and Ja Morant during an appearance on VladTV. Arenas subtly expressed other views as well, including favoring Larry Bird over LeBron James in a one-on-one game. In one major talking point, blamed Embiid for the issues surrounding the Simmons saga, drawing comparisons to the legendary Lakers duo Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
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Ben Simmons entered the league with comparisons to Magic Johnson. Despite lacking a jump shot, he earned respect from peers and legends during his first three seasons, achieving All-Star status. However, his reputation took a hit following a disastrous performance against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. To worsen matters, he chose to sit out an entire season for mental health reasons, which damaged his credibility further. Media pundits like Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless heavily criticized him.
Gilbert Arenas blames Joel Embiid for the 76ers’ losses
Gilbert Arenas is familiar with ongoing adversities and criticisms from both the league and the media. He has encountered players like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. When the interviewer switched the discussion to the 76ers’ consecutive failures and Ben Simmons, Agent 0 provided an unexpected response.
“Well, he didn’t say anything. Technically he didn’t say anything. He didn’t say anything a’right. If we are gonna put blame on someone, I am always gonna blame the most talented and the most naturally gifted of the group and that is gonna be Embiid. Right?”
Simmons’ departure from the 76ers has resulted in their failure to advance past the second round of the playoffs. Before that, Simmons received most of the blame for his repeated mistakes in crucial moments. Arenas may have misunderstood, but his next sentence clarifies his statement.
“It reminds me of what Shaquille O’Neal was to Kobe Bryant right. You have this guy who is hungry, he wants to win, he wants to be the best that he can be. And then he sees this ultraly god-gifted player not tapping into his potential! A’right you’ve got Kobe sitting there coming 3-4 times a day. Shaq is like I am gonna show up when I show up then I go out there and give you 30, 18 rebounds and Kobe is like if you practice 3 times a day, no one on this planet can guard you. That’s the Embiid thing with me like bro you are so gifted. If you put in hours and hours and hours on your craft, you will be unstoppable to the point where Ben Simmons is just… You’re supposed to be carrying this team with your dominance but you’re not and we are blaming everyone else.”
When stated in that manner, it illuminates Arenas’ intended message. The brighter the light, the more effective the shadow becomes. This dynamic characterized the partnership between Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant during the Lakers’ three consecutive championships. Arenas holds the belief that had Embiid trained more diligently and delivered stronger results, Simmons’ performance would have improved for the team. This may be supported by the fact that in the last two playoffs, without Simmons, the 76ers were eliminated in the second round due to Embiid’s consistently poor and unpredictable performance.
What’s next for Ben Simmons?
Despite Arenas’ claims, it’s important to remember that Simmons was considered to have higher potential than Embiid when he was drafted. His 6’10” frame and exceptional guard skills ranked him second only to LeBron James in terms of raw potential. However, everything took a turn for the worse, and he now finds himself in a precarious situation.
His only hope lies in his versatile defense, which unfortunately appeared to have disappeared last season. The Brooklyn Nets have completely removed him from the rotation, leaving the coaches puzzled about how to utilize him. No team is interested in trading for him, except perhaps the Phoenix Suns, who could potentially accommodate his playing style. Will Ben Simmons go down as the biggest All-Star disappointment in history? Only Ben himself can provide that answer!
