Due to all the drama between Ben Simmons and the 76ers, there has been a lot of attention drawn to the partnership between Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. People have long said that the two's playstyles don't work together.
There have also been some questions drawn up about the duo's personal relationship with one another, amidst reports that Ben Simmons didn't respond to Joel Embiid's attempts to reach out after their defeat to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Despite all the speculation, Joel Embiid has recently sent a message to the Philadelphia 76ers fans prior to the start of their matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. He expressed appreciation for the fans, while also stating that Ben Simmons is "still our brother". There is no question that some fans were frustrated with Ben Simmons in the past, but it seems as though Joel Embiid has his teammate's back.
On behalf of my teammates, the organization and myself, I just want to thank you for your support for all these years. You know, a lot has happened the last few months, and I'm glad that you guys can continue to support us and our teammate Ben, because he's still our brother.
The most recent news on Ben Simmons is that he doesn't feel "mentally ready" to suit up for the team yet. It remains to be seen if he does end up doing so, but other teammates aside from Joel Embiid have expressed their support for Ben Simmons, such as Tobias Harris.
The 76ers were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with Ben Simmons last year, and it's abundantly clear that he's a very good player, despite his collapse against the Atlanta Hawks. Hopefully, we see a resolution to the situation soon, and it would be amazing to see Ben Simmons do well next season, whether it's with the 76ers or otherwise.
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