The Philadelphia 76ers put a lot of time, hope, and effort into turning Ben Simmons into a star. They were patient with him through his injuries, didn’t force him to develop a jump shot, and even signed him to a big extension. It didn’t pay off.
Simmons was one of the best defenders in the league during his days in Philly. He was also an elite playmaker. His God-given traits, athleticism, and basketball IQ made us all think he could become a generational player.
But as much as the Sixers did for him before trading him, Jalen Rose believes that marriage was destined to fail. According to Rose, they shouldn’t have developed him as a point guard if he was so reluctant to shoot.
Jalen Rose Says Sixers Messed Up By Developing Ben Simmons As A Point Guard
“Philadelphia made a mistake in developing Ben Simmons as a point guard and here’s why: When you’re not attempting shots outside of the paint, it’s hard to have you at the top of the floor,” the former NBA player said on ESPN.
Simmons is an excellent basketball player and checks all the boxes but one: Shooting. So, maybe Rose was right, and he should’ve been used in the paint as a small-ball four rather than taking the ball up the court.
Simmons Is Ready To Go
His reluctance to shoot is what made people pick on him for so long. That eventually led to the mental distress that took him off the court for a full season. Now, finally, he’s ready to be back on the floor, according to Stephen A. Smith:
“New flash here, I ran into Ben Simmons. He and I had a conversation. His personal business is his personal business. I support the brother. I had a problem with him not playing, that’s in the past. He’s ready to go, he swears he’s ready to go, and I’m rooting for the brother,” Smith revealed.
Simmons had some well-documented character issues, both on and off the floor. But regardless of where you stand on him as a person, no one can deny that he’s one of the most gifted players on Earth. As such, we can only root for him and hope he finds his groove.
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