Ben Simmons is one of the rising stars of the game and is touted to become a great player. He was drafted in 2016 and made a huge impact on the Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons made a good duo and had dominant capabilities. However, this dynamic changed after the playoffs last season.

Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks eliminated the Sixers from the Playoffs. Their loss was featured by Ben Simmons’ really poor shooting percentage. Ben Simmons was either denying to take open shots or was missing them. The entire Sixer franchise critiqued him for it.

Simmons refused to play after this infamous incident of being called out by his teammates and head coach. Simmons was not able to handle the critique and pressure. Thereafter, he asked for a trade and refused to play for the franchise, citing mental health reasons.

Ever since then, various fans, critics, and former players have shared their views on the Ben Simmons saga. Even the legendary Shaquille O’Neal talked about Ben Simmons and dismissed his mental health claims. In a conversation on The Big Podcast with Shaq, Shaq revealed his true opinions on Simmons. Shaq feels Ben Simmons made mental health a scapegoat for his personal issues with the team.

Shaq contrasted the situation with how there are so many homeless people. Ben Simmons here is being paid millions of dollars and he refuses to play. He said, “I’m Talking Like, Like, It Hurts Me to the Core”

WATCH THIS STORY: Who Is Malik Monk’s New Girlfriend Iggy Azalea?

Ben Simmons before the hiatus

Ben Simmons is finally out of Philadelphia and ready to play. Simmons was a decent player before his hiatus. He lacked in terms of confidence and shooting percentage. However, he made up with it in terms of defense and basketball IQ.

Simmons was a great facilitator for the Sixers. He managed to get a good number of assists every game. Joel Embiid was the defensive anchor on the team, however, he had huge help from Simmons.

He averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in his last season with the Sixers. Moreover, defensively, he averaged 1.6 steals and 0.6 blocks per game. All the mental health issues aside, it will be exciting to see how Simmons fits in the Nets franchise.

He has the potential to be a great player. Simmons is an excellent addition to the Nets roster as now they have young defensive players. The Nets have the potential to form a new super team if Simmons adjusts properly to his role.

READ MORE: Charles Barkley Gets Brutally Honest on Why James Harden Left the Nets for the 76ers