Ben Simmons did his introductory press conference with the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday morning. It was the first time he’s spoken with reporters going all the way back to the Atlanta playoff series loss last summer, so that’s almost eight months without a public comment.
I’ll give you some notes and quotes:
Ben said this about what happened in Philadelphia:
“For me, it was about making sure I was mentally right to get out there and play again, so that’s something I’ve been dealing with. It wasn’t about the fans or coaches or comments made about anybody, it was a personal thing for me that (began) earlier than (the Hawks playoff series) or even that season, that I was dealing with. That organization knew that. It was something I continue to deal with. I’m getting there and getting to the right place to get back on the floor.”
“The mental health has nothing to do with just the trade. It was a bunch of things I was dealing with as a person, in my personal life, that I don’t want to go in depth with. But I’m here now and it’s a blessing to be with an organization like this. I’m looking forward to getting back on the floor and building something great here.”
On why things got so bad in Philly:
“If I knew I would tell you. There’s just a lot of things internally that had to happen over time, and it just got to a place where I don’t think it was good for me mentally. So it is what it is. It happened and I’m moving forward.”
Simmons also noted that he did not speak with Joel Embiid after the trade. He did, however, speak with Josh Harris, Elton Brand, Doc Rivers and Tobias Harris. He reiterated that people “didn’t know” what was going on and had his family there supporting him “from day one.” It was never a personal thing targeting towards anybody against the Sixers. And when asked about being ready for the March 10th game against Philly, Ben said “I hope so” in terms of being available.
He also was asked about people being skeptical of his mental health claims:
Initial reaction? I think those answers were mostly predictable. He was mostly short and blunt at the beginning, which is typically Ben. Nothing new there. And of course each individual person is gonna decide for themselves whether or not the mental health thing is real.
Here’s the press conference if you want to watch it back.