Ben Simmons sneakily DISSES Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving ahead of new season with Nets

Ben Simmons appears to be taking subtle jabs at his former Nets teammates.

Ben Simmons sneakily DISSES Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving ahead of new season with Nets

Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons and Kevin Durant (Credits: ESPN, SI and ABC News)

Ben Simmons’ career has seen one of the league’s most horrible declines in quality of play in recent history. Once touted as a franchise player capable of winning chips, he has now been reduced to a shell of himself, lacking the confidence to take shots and pouting when things don’t go his way. Formerly a star player for the Philadelphia 76ers, Simmons is now a part of a fresh Brooklyn Nets squad that has seen some major changes since the dramatic departure of the big three: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden. Simmons arrived in Brooklyn in exchange for Harden, who took his talents to the 76ers.

In the 2023 season, Simmons played a meager 43 games, stating it was due to a “nerve issue” in his back. He had previously missed the entirety of the 2021–2022 season due to a back injury as well. Simmons always had a problem shooting, but fans believed that with time, he would develop that skill as well. He regressed terribly shooting wisely; despite entering his prime as a player at 26 years old, he shot worse than ever from the line, considering that his worst average until this point was 56% during his rookie season (2017–2018) and with many more tries (5,6 per game).

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Simmons’ time with the Nets hasn’t been impressive either. He’s played in just 42 games, with an average of 6.9 points per game and a zero percent success rate from beyond the three-point line. Despite sharing the court with superstar teammates like Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Simmons struggled to deliver when it mattered most.

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Simmons’ performance for the Nets has been lackluster, and he recently spoke candidly to a Fox News reporter, delivering what appeared to be a subtle dig at his former teammates, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Talking about his time in Brooklyn, he said, “I’d say not being able to do your job to the fullest. I did what i could at the moment. I think playing with guys who are easily to play with. Who just have one goal, and that’s to win. I don’t think guys have too many individual goals.”

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How has Ben Simmons’ NBA career been so far?

Ben Simmons, once hailed as a rising superstar in the NBA, was seen as the beacon of hope for his team’s journey towards a championship, a testament to the success of “The Process.” Described as a monumental fall from grace, Simmons, selected as the top overall pick in the 2016 draft, was expected to be the pivotal piece alongside the towering presence of Joel Embiid, with the shared goal of propelling their team to victory.

Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons (Credits: ESPN)

Initially, everything appeared promising. During his rookie season, Simmons boasted impressive statistics, averaging 15.8 points, 8.2 assists, and 8.1 rebounds per game, earning him the prestigious Rookie of the Year award. However, it’s worth noting that Simmons missed his entire inaugural season in 2016-2017, and again in 2021-2022 due to various reasons.

Simmons, however, harbored a glaring weakness in his skill set, notably his shooting ability. While he maintained a respectable free-throw shooting percentage, his 3-point shooting raised significant concerns. Remarkably, throughout his entire career, Simmons attempted a mere 36 three-pointers. Fans, optimistically hoping for improvement, initially dismissed this deficiency, but unfortunately, it never evolved as anticipated.

Simmons’ flaws were glaring, and the criticism intensified after a crucial moment in Game 7 of the 2021 playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. Instead of taking a wide-open layup, he passed the ball, which drew widespread condemnation from fans. Adding to the frustration, Simmons’ free-throw shooting was abysmal throughout the series, with him making only 15 out of 45 attempts.

Simmons struggled mightily during the playoffs, shooting just 34.2% from the free-throw line. The Hawks managed to keep him to under ten points in four out of seven games in the conference semi-finals. Faced with mounting criticism, Simmons sat out most of the next season and was eventually traded to the Nets. Now, as he gears up for the upcoming season, he claims to be in the best shape of his life, leaving fans curious about his performance.

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