After a rocky departure from the 76ers, Ben Simmons is gearing up for a comeback season with the Nets. The forward was part of the arrangement that moved James Harden from the Nets to the Sixers in exchange for Harden, who was unhappy in Brooklyn.
In the four years between 2016 and 2022, Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid played together for the 76ers, but it seems that their friendship never went beyond the court. Ugly circumstances surrounded the conclusion of the Embiid-Simmons period.
Speaking to ESPN for an interview, Simmons has now spoken out about the lack of chemistry between himself and Joel Embiid, the talented center for the Philadelphia 76ers. The new star of the Brooklyn Nets was candid when questioned about his relationship with Joel Embiid and whether or not the two had communicated since the deal that brought Simmons to Brooklyn.
What Ben Simmons said of relationship with Joel Embiid
“I don’t talk to Jo. We never really spoke. I don’t think there was really a relationship there. Like in terms of a friendship? You can try as hard as you want to try to be close to somebody, be their friend, whatever it is, but everyone is different as people, so for me, it’s never personal.
“I don’t have any anger or hate towards him. He is who he is and I am who I am. And we’ve got our personal lives. And work is basketball, so in that moment, my goal is to win and I got to win with Jo. He’s a great player, we just didn’t get it done,” Simmons added.
