Ben Simmons Refuses to Participate in Defensive Shell Drill
After being fined for missing Media Day and the first week of training camp, the All-Star finally decided to show up unannounced to the Philadelphia 76ers’ facility the night of a preseason game, shocking everyone within the organization because they believed he was going to hold out into the start of the regular season.
Everything seemed to be “alright” at that moment with Simmons returning, but the events today just reassure everyone across the league that this is still a very toxic situation brewing in Philadelphia.
Multiple reports have confirmed that during practice on Tuesday afternoon, Ben Simmons was instructed to enter a defensive drill and he refused multiple times to participate. At that point, Doc Rivers told Simmons to just leave if he was not going to participate in practice and as a result, he dropped the basketball in his hands and walked out of practice.
“I didn’t think he wanted to do what everyone else was doing,” Rivers told reporters after the team’s practice and after the team announced Simmons’ suspension. “Every day, every single moment, I’m going to give Ben a chance to join the team and be part of the team. He’s under contract to be part of the team and that’s not going to change. Sometimes it happens quick and guys join back in. Sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve been in both situations and I’m fine with that.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & RUMORS: 76ers’ Ben Simmons Kicked Out Of Practice, Suspended
Ben Simmons’ reluctance to be a full participant in practice and not willing to engage in team activities is not surprising at all, especially since it is clear to see that he does not care. This relationship the 76ers had with their All-Star is gone at this point and he does not seem to be willing to mend things.
