Ben Simmons has been going through a very difficult time over the last few months. After a poor performance in the NBA Playoffs last May, Simmons was hit with some harsh criticism by Sixers fans, and it became clear that he no longer wanted to play for the team. Simmons was vocal about how his mental health was an issue and that he simply did not want to play for the team anymore. Now, Simmons is on the Nets, and he is much happier.
During Simmons’ press conference with the Nets, the star opened up about his mental health, and how he felt like he wasn’t himself anymore. According to Dave Early of Clutch Points, Simmons is just happy to be with an organization that wants him, and he’s excited about the new journey.
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“For me it wasn’t, that was never, the mental health has nothing to do with just the trade, it was just a bunch of things I was dealing with as a person. In my personal life that I don’t really want to go into depth with. But I’m hear now so, it’s a blessing to be in an organization like this,” Simmons said. “It was just piled up, a bunch of things that have grown over the years, to where I just knew I wasn’t myself and I needed to get back into that place of being myself and being happy as a person and taking care of my well-being. That was the major thing for me, it wasn’t about the basketball, it wasn’t about the money. I want to be who I am.”
As for his return to the lineup, Simmons doesn’t know what’s going to happen right now. He is taking things day by day, and will come back when he feels comfortable.
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[Via]