Ben Simmons on last season drama: 'All I wanted was help'

In his first extensive interview since sitting out the entire 2021-22 season, Ben Simmons went on J.J. Redick's The Old Man & the Three podcast and discussed his mental health struggles - and the Philadelphia 76ers' lack of support. And the lack of support from fellow LSU basketball alum Shaquille O'Neal.

Simmons said:

"All I wanted was help. I didn’t feel like I got it from coaches, teammates. I won’t say all teammates, because there are great guys on that team that did reach out and are still my friends. But I didn’t feel like I got that, and it was just a tough place for me."

At first, Simmons was staying away from the 76ers entirely, but eventually did join the team for practices, before being suspended for conduct detrimental to the team when he refused to go in for a drill. Simmons says that he tried, but Coach Doc Rivers was unsympathetic. Simmons told Redick and co-host Tommy Alter:

"I actually spoke to Doc before practice. I said, 'Doc, I'm not ready. Mentally, I'm not ready. Please just understand that. I tried to let him know prior, and he was like, 'Well, I'm going to put you in anyway'... He told me to get in. I looked at him. It was like one minute into practice, like, 'Ben, get in'...Obviously, I didn't handle things the right way, but, also, the team didn't either."

The 76ers ended up fining Simmons nearly $20 million in total. The fines grew so high that even after his midseason trade to Brooklyn, the Nets were still garnishing Simmons' paychecks and sending money to Philadelphia. Eventually, Simmons filed a grievance, and he and the team reached an undisclosed settlement about the fine money.

He also didn't feel supported by Shaq, who like Simmons played basketball at LSU. On the podcast, Simmons took issue with how Shaq and Charles Barkley criticized him on Inside the NBA.

"Obviously they’re supposed to criticize us. We’re basketball players. But when it comes to personal stuff there’s a level of respect they should have. Even Shaq. When I was dealing with everything going on, I actually messaged him and he put it out. “I DM’d him like, ‘Why are you saying this if you don’t even know the story?’ Because he always wants to say yo, we’re LSU brothers. You’re my brother, all that. If you’re my LSU brother you would’ve reached out by now. It’s been months since I’ve been dealing with this. You ain’t reached out once and said, ‘Hey, you OK?'” 

Simmons frustrated teammates and fans last season, but it's clear he was struggling. He seemed to have a mental block at the free throw line and was scapegoated after he passed up a dunk late in the Sixers' upset playoff loss to the Atlanta Hawks. However, he also had some intense family problems — abuse claims and defamation suits involving his sister and his half-brother, who also serves as Simmons' manager.

At this point, Simmons has resolved his financial issues with his former team. It simply remains to be seen how he responds on the court for the Nets. And how O'Neal reacts on "Shaqtin' A Fool."