On Thursday on “The Old Man & The Three” podcast, hosted by JJ Redick and Tommy Alter, will release an episode where they sat down with Brooklyn Nets G/F/C (whatever he is) Ben Simmons to talk about the past year of his career. Do you care? I’ll be honest here, I won’t believe much of anything said during the sit-down “interview” with Ben’s former teammate JJ, but I’m riveted to listen. Let me say, this will be Ben Simmons’ version of the truth. If it’s actually the truth, well you can be the judge of that. Ben Simmons has mostly been a ghost since his forced departure out of Philadelphia last February to Brooklyn. Tommy Alter, one of the c0-hosts teased this for tomorrow’s episode release…
Ben has a lot to say. Trust. https://t.co/S2nqxeasgT
— TheOldMan&TheThree (@OldManAndThree) September 20, 2022
It’s certainly going to get the ears of a lot of NBA fans who are curious about Ben’s departure from Philly, the back issues and personal issues he went through and why Philadelphia was a place he could no longer play in. As a listener to JJ’s podcasts, I find them fascinating because a lot of players open up easier to a colleague and former teammate than they would someone in a typical media position. JJ will no doubt get a relaxed Ben because he’s not walking into the lion’s den with a more traditional type of interviewer so it’ll be interesting to see what he has to say.
What’s the most important question you would ask Ben? Mine would be what did the Sixers or the city do to you that you felt you could no longer continue on your career there? Simple, I would like to see how he answers it. He was here in a city where athletes like Brandon Brooks and Lane Johnson were up front about personal and mental issues with themselves to the city and were embraced for it. If he saw that, why not open up to a city that loved him? That’s what I’d like to know. Ever since “the pass” in game 7 vs. the Hawks in the playoffs, it seems to an outside looking in like he didn’t want to return to a city he let down.
I’m sure the off-season back surgery will come up, the lack of shooting hopefully comes up and many other topics a lot of Sixers fans will be interested in hearing. Some might just be done with him and his storylines and may never listen to it, but I won’t be one of those fans. I’ll be listening intently and I’m looking forward to it.