Ben Simmons seems poised to take on the league for the 2024-25 season. Photos and videos of him putting in the work were posted religiously by his trainer, Chris Brickley. And while some do maintain a level of skepticism given the 3x All-Star’s tendency to get injured, there are still many who hope the talented star forward can finally make his case. Brickley, however, is brimming with confidence about the 6’10” LSU alum and went the extra mile, replying to a fan, with quite the claim. “He is better now than his All Star seasons. I’ve never co-signed a player that didn’t prove it when their season started. Trust me on this one.”

But this isn’t the first time the 2018 ROTY’s off-season workout videos have created insane hype only to be disappointed during the regular season. Take, for example, 2019-20. Before the start of the season, clips of Ben practicing jump shots and draining threes went viral. However, in 57 games, he attempted just 7 threes, making 2 of them. Similar instances occurred in the following seasons, as well. So, the distrust is completely understandable.

Looking at it from a technical standpoint, there is a possibility that the Nets are holding Ben Simmons, and his $40 million salary for the upcoming season in case they need to trade later. His contract will expire after the conclusion of this season. Add to this the fact that the team is trying to rebuild itself and even traded Mikal Bridges this offseason, things get murky. So to avoid a Klay Thompson fate, Simmons would have to prove himself. Only confusion – will Simmons play with the Nets or Warriors?

What are we talking about? Well, there were some rumors on the internet that claimed the Nets traded Ben Simmons to the Warriors. This is what a certain NBA insider, Aaron Rosenberg of ESPN, claims to be the case. In a post that’s going viral, this ‘Wojnarowski’s replacement’ stated, “BREAKING: The Brooklyn Nets are trading Ben Simmons to the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN.” Plot twist, though?

Well, after a deep dive by our fact-checkers at EssentiallySports, we have discovered that @aaronespn on X is a parody/satire account, meaning this post is invalid. Brooklyn has not traded Ben Simmons to the Warriors. But who is this Aaron Rosenberg who made such big claims?

The bio on his X account mentions, “ESPN NBA Insider, stepping in after the legendary Adrian Wojnarowski. Bringing you the latest and most accurate NBA news, trades, and updates. •parody/satire.”

Going back to the parody post, there is a reason it fooled at least a few. Adrian Wojnarowski, the famed ESPN reporter, known for his breaking news tweets, or the typical ‘Woj bombs’, has announced his retirement from ESPN. Given Rosenberg’s report was styled exactly like how the veteran analyst would do, it looked familiar to people.

As for the 55-year-old reporter, he is stepping down after his 7-year service at ESPN to join the men’s basketball program in St. Bonaventure, his alma mater, as a General Manager. “It is a thrill of a lifetime to be able to return to a university and community that I love in a role of service to our student-athletes, coaches and institution. I am hopeful that I can bring value in a lot of areas to our basketball program and open doors for our young men’s futures in ways both professionally and personally,” Wojnarowski told ESPN.

Adrian Wojnarowski: The most prominent NBA journalist decided to change his profession!

Wojnarowski has worked at ESPN since 2017. And while he previously worked at Yahoo Sports and The Record of Bergen County (New Jersey), his stint at ESPN is something people won’t forget.

His ability to report things even before official announcements set him apart, but in 2018, ESPN aimed to ensure suspense in their live broadcast and came up with a policy to limit such reporting. Yet, the journalist prevailed with his carefully crafted tweets. As Wojnarowski gears up to take a new role- GM in St. Bonaventure, his in-depth knowledge of the place will aid him. He graduated from the school in 1991.

 “The fact that the preeminent journalist in his field is willing to walk away from a lucrative media career to serve his alma mater in a support role is a testament to his love and passion for Bona’s,” St. Bonaventure athletic director Bob Beretta opined.

In his new role, Wojnarowski will be responsible for NIL-related opportunities for the players, transfer portal management, alumni player relationships and so much more. We will have to wait and watch how Wojnarowski settles into the role. What do you think?

 Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger.