One can not behavior a long interview with Ben Simmons and now not ask him about capturing. This is especially true if the interviewer is without doubt one of the highest shooters in NBA historical past. So when Simmons went on “The Old Man and The Three,” JJ Redick’s podcast, his former Philadelphia 76ers teammate lobbed him a softball concerning the capturing dialog overshadowing “all the awesome stuff you do.”
“I think for a while it was just — it’s so repetitive, you’re hearing it all the time from everybody,” Simmons mentioned. “And you’re like, f—ing hell. Like, just get off my case, I do other stuff, too. I’m guarding the best players. That’s one thing, I don’t think people respect that enough, what I’m bringing to the court. ‘Cause there’s a lot of shit I’m bringing to the court. And for me, I just want to win. So people also don’t understand my goal is to purely win. I don’t go out there, I’m not trying to have this many points, whatever it is. my goal is to win, so I’m trying to do whatever I can during the game to make the right plays and the right reads to help my team win.
“But this is evidently irritating,” Simmons continued. “But it’s additionally one in every of my weaknesses, so it’s like, what, am I going to get mad at other people for announcing i am not excellent at one thing? OK, yeah, cool, I’m going to follow and get well. It is what it is. And that is simply part of the sport.”
This is a long way from the primary time Simmons has mentioned the large, obvious hollow in his sport. In 2020, he advised Jackie MacMullan, then of ESPN, that he’ll shoot 3s when he is at ease, that he will have to “make it some extent of emphasis” and that he could “be a type of guys capturing 30 p.c at this time” but would “moderately be a type of guys capturing 40 p.c.” That same year, he told Yaron Weitzman that standing in the dunker spot was better for Philadelphia’s offense than standing in the corner, and he was focused on “getting the most productive shot we can each and every time,” by the use of Fox Sports.
Redick referenced ex-Philadelphia trainer Brett Brown publicly calling on Simmons to shoot 3s, asking, “Did the shooting thing become bigger than it should have been and f— with you a little bit?”
“For sure,” Simmons mentioned. “100 percent. No, for sure. And I didn’t really realize that early on in my career. And it started building up. I’m like, They’re saying I can’t, should I not? I’m f—in’ confused now. You don’t want me to shoot, but you want me to shoot? Like, I don’t know. So it did f— with me a lot. But I kind of found peace in a place where I’m just like, f— it, it’s basketball, like, I’m great at the game, I need to go out there and show people what I can do and my talent. So it did for a while, I was just like f—ed up a little.”
And then, in fact, Redick requested Simmons, now a member of the Brooklyn Nets, if he would shoot 3s this coming season.
“Yeah, I need to,” Simmons mentioned. “I need to just go out there and put some up.”
Both of them then began giggling, making it unclear whether or not or now not Simmons was once being critical. Redick mentioned his purpose will have to be to take 5 3s a sport till he’d advised to prevent.
“F—in 20 3s a game,” Simmons mentioned, now obviously joking. “Kevin’s wide open — nope!”
One factor Simmons gave the impression sincerely occupied with: The 2022-23 Nets. In describing how he anticipates they are going to play, he as soon as once more discussed Redick, Marco Belinelli, Ersan Ilyasova and the 2017-18 Sixers.
“I think this team right now is just a great fit for what I do and what I bring to the game,” he advised Redick. “I feel like it’s Philly on steroids, kind of, in terms of what we had when you were there and Marco and Ersan.”
Simmons, who hasn’t performed in an NBA sport because the 2021 playoffs, mentioned that “it’s going to be sick” to get again at the court docket in Brooklyn.
“I can’t wait, I’m so excited,” he mentioned. “Got a new number, new jersey. I’m just looking forward to it. I think we have a special team. I think if we get it all together, we’re going to be the champions. So that’s the end goal.”
The Nets traded for Simmons in February, and, earlier than a again damage, he was once anticipated to fit up remaining season. During the primary spherical of the playoffs, all indicators pointed to him returning for Game 4, however it did not occur. He had surgical procedure on his again in May.
Simmons advised Redick that he harm his again after a exercise.
“So, initially I had some soreness in my back when I was working out, then I went to, like, go hop up the stairs, run up the stairs, and my whole right side just dropped,” Simmons mentioned. “And as soon as I went upstairs, I lay down and I could not move.”
Simmons mentioned it was once “the same thing” he skilled in Milwaukee in 2020, an incident that left him “throwing up because I was in so much pain.” It was once “not a normal situation,” since he had but to make his Nets debut and so they had been within the playoffs, however he sought after to play, he mentioned.
“In practice, I know I’m not feeling right,” he mentioned. “My muscles, my glutes (are) not working, I can’t jump, I can’t dunk. And people don’t see that stuff, but that was the reality of it. And me, I’m about to play, about to go into Game 4 or try to go into Game 4, I’m on the ground, I can’t even move. So it’s a real thing. And for me it was frustrating because you have everyone saying whatever. But I try to block that out. If I’m hurt, I’m hurt. I’m not trying to sit out.”
Rehabilitation was once a “tough” procedure, Simmons mentioned, however he best mentioned it prior to now aggravating. He mentioned the coaches in Brooklyn were “incredible” and the running shoes were “great.”
Simmons additionally spoke about his time with the Sixers, together with the top of it.