Earlier this week, former Philadelphia 76ers and current Cleveland Cavaliers forward Georges Niang made headlines for his comments made about former Philadelphia teammate Ben Simmons to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Niang essentially put Simmons on blast for his refusal to play games for the 76ers during their 2021-22 season, which was Niang’s first with the franchise, which he perceived as selfish.
Anyone who was expecting Niang to walk back those comments can probably set those expectations to the side, as the sharpshooter once again has gone on the offensive against his former teammate.
“I don’t want to beat a dead horse with it because I actually feel bad at this point,” Niang said, via the “Road Trippin’ Show,” per Orel Dizon of Basketball Network. “The Ben Simmons thing, that pissed me off because guys are trying to make a living, right?
“And I came from Utah. I signed just a little over the minimum, and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is perfect. I’m a spot-up shooter. This guy f**king drives the lane. Everybody collapses. He kicks out. This is going to be great for my career. I signed a two-year deal, and then he was like, ‘I’m not playing.’ And I’m like, ‘What the f**k?’”
A mind-boggling saga
For a bit of context: Georges Niang joined the 76eres during the 2021 offseason, which occurred on the heels of Simmons’ performance in the playoffs the previous spring against the Atlanta Hawks, which is widely regarded as one of the most embarrassing displays from (what was then considered to be) a star level player in recent NBA history.
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This all was stamped by Simmons’ refusal to attempt an open dunk in the fourth quarter of Game 7 of that series with only Trae Young partially standing between him and the basket.
After that happened, it was clear to everyone involved that Simmons and the 76ers probably did not have a future together beyond that point, but it didn’t stop the ensuing drama and rampant fines that racked up when Simmons missed training camp and began sitting out games the following season before finally being traded to the Brooklyn Nets, where he still “plays.”
It’s certainly understandable for someone in Niang’s position to be frustrated at the situation, although it had to have been clear to him following the Atlanta series that there was going to be some tension, at the very least, between the two sides.
