Ben Simmons Says Mental Health Had Nothing To Do With 76ers Issues

The Brooklyn Nets picked up Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, and Andre Drummond in a blockbuster NBA deal last week. The trade involved the Philadelphia 76ers receiving James Harden and Paul Millsap in the deal. After finally becoming a free man, Ben Simmons made his first public appearance since last season and reflected back on his end with Sixers.

Ben Simmons is very excited to be to play alongside Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. “It’s a blessing to be in an organization like this,” Ben Simmons said Tuesday morning. “I’m looking forward to getting back on the floor and building something great here.”

Simmons also believes that trio of him, KD and Irving is going to be “very scary” in Brooklyn. He hasn’t specified the date of his return but assured he he’ll be playing soon:

“I don’t have a date yet but I’m working towards getting back on the floor,” said Simmons on his ramp-up with the Nets. “No date yet but I’m starting to ramp it up.”

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Most notably, Ben also addressed his mental health issues and how the trade has contributed to the improvement of his condition. (watch the clip below)

“For me it wasn’t, that was never, the mental health has nothing to do with just the trade, it was just a bunch of things I was dealing with as a person. In my personal life that I don’t really want to go into depth with. But I’m here now so, it’s a blessing to be in an organization like this.”

“It was just piled up, a bunch of things that have grown over the years, to where I just knew I wasn’t myself and I needed to get back into that place of being myself and being happy as a person and taking care of my well-being. That was the major thing for me, it wasn’t about the basketball, it wasn’t about the money. I want to be who I am.”

Ben Simmons was going through an adamant time for the last few months. His poor performance with NBA Playoffs last May, which led to harsh criticism from Sixers fans. With him eventually wanting to leave the team. Anyways Ben seems to be in a much better place now and is happier with the Nets.

Checkout the clips from the press conference below.