“I’ve heard people call Ben Simmons a ‘bum’” - Jay Williams believes Ben Simmons has more to prove than James Harden because people have questioned his 'manhood' when it comes to basketball
Jay Williams, a former NBA player, recently confessed that Ben Simmons has more to prove than James Harden. Technically, the Harden-Simmons saga has come to an end with the star duo exchanging spots. Harden is now, as hard as it may be to believe, a Philadelphia 76ers player.
Meanwhile, Simmons is now officially a Brooklyn Nets point guard. But with their debuts still on the line, the league and all its affiliates are still buzzing with prophecies and predictions over the performance of the two. Although James Harden is expected to make an appearance in the Sixers uniform on Friday, Ben Simmons won't debut for Brooklyn in the coming week.
With the timeline for their debut nearing, Stephen A. Smith sat down with former Chicago Bulls player Jay Williams on "First Take" to discuss their expectations with the stars. Williams confidently shared his belief that Simmons has a lot on the line and will be under immense pressure to perform.
"The question is who has more to prove. Ben Simmons has claimed mental instability with inside the Philadelphia 76ers organization. So essentially, what that means to me is that it's my environment that's not creating the right place for me to achieve the ultimate level of success that I can personally. So what's more to prove?" - said Williams.
Williams followed on by pointing out that no one would ever call James Harden a bum, whereas people constantly questioned Simmons' ability and toughness.
Williams continued: "I don't think anybody would ever call James Harden a bum. I have heard people call Ben Simmons a bum. I have heard people call Ben Simmons soft. Joel Embiid called him, actually, extra soft."
Ben Simmons and James Harden are two of the most heavily scrutinized players in the league
There is obvious reason for the scrutiny and criticism that has followed both Harden and Simmons. Even the comparisons being drawn between the two are justified considering they switched places in Brooklyn and Philadelphia. However, it is also true that there will definitely be more pressure on Simmons to prove his worth in Brooklyn.
“I did a lot of chasing around trying to get him back and try to make him feel comfortable again. It was tough. I didn’t care anymore.”
Joel Embiid on Ben Simmons, James Harden, and the MVP race. Catch our convo on NBA Today: https://t.co/cI2dXv6QIn
For one, Harden has already played 44 games this season and is averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 assists and 8.0 rebounds. His separation from the Nets, although messy, wasn't a half-year-long tussle between the team and him. Whereas Simmons and Philadelphia parted ways on extremely sour terms.
Ben Simmons working with Kyle Korver at Nets practice today.
https://t.co/BUGxq9OegO
The Australian is yet to play a single game, and his 2021 playoffs fiasco is still fresh in the public's mind. No one has really forgotten his failure as a shooter or his public demands to leave the team. Jay Williams' observation is sound, there is indeed far more pressure on Simmons than Harden at the moment.