JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
'Ben Simmons Thing P***ed Me Off': Former Philadelphia 76ers Player Brutally Slams NBA Star
Ben Simmons's fallout with the Philadelphia 76ers is well known to the world and his former teammate didn't show any mercy to him in a recent podcast.
It's safe to assume that Ben Simmons and Georges Niang, the former teammates of the Philadelphia 76ers, won't be looking eye to eye anytime soon.
Niang didn’t back down in his criticism of Simmons on the Road Trippin podcast on Tuesday, raising concerns about the point guard's professionalism, mental health, and dedication to the game. The main reason he has trouble with Simmons is that during the 2021–2022 season, Simmons missed all of it because of a disagreement with the Sixers front office. Niang signed a minimum-level contract with the franchise during that period.
Niang's ability to drive and kick the ball to shooters like himself made him genuinely "excited" to play with Simmons. When he first spoke with the Australian in practice, though, that position was altered.
What did Georges Niang say?
Niang said, "The Ben Simmons thing p***ed me off. Because guys are trying to make a living. I signed just a little over the minimum. This [pairing with Simmons] is going to be great for my career. And then he was like, 'I'm not playing' and I'm like, what the f---. I'm like, 'How the f--- am I going to make something happen?' And then he was walking around the facility, and they'd be like, 'What's up, man?' trying to welcome him back, and he'd be like, [nods], and that's when I was like, f--- this dude."
NBA is a ‘fraternity’, claims Niang
Simmons was also held accountable by Niang for not realizing that the NBA is a "fraternity" of players who respect one another and want their fellow hoopers to be compensated. The 3-and-D specialist agreed that the NBA "is a business," but thought Simmons did not have "the etiquette" to show respect for the league's fraternity.
The 31-year-old made these comments in response to his earlier accusations on The John Kincade Show that Simmons was to blame for the Sixers' 2021–22 season being a complete bust. According to Niang, Joel Embiid's then-career-best season, in which he averaged 30.6 points and 11.7 rebounds from a career-high 68 games, couldn’t be capitalized properly because of Simmons' boycott.
Niang joined the Cleveland Cavaliers last summer
Niang had two successful seasons in a Sixers uniform, averaging 8.7 points and 2.5 rebounds on 40% shooting from beyond the arc while playing without Simmons. He signed a $26 million contract with the Cavaliers last summer because of his outstanding campaigns. Niang played in all 82 games during his first season in Cleveland, recording career-high marks of 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds.
ALSO READ: NBA Insider Reveals Sixers Passed on Tyrese Haliburton for James Harden in Ben Simmons Trade
Latest Articles
