Not Joel Embiid, 3x NBA Champion Reveals How Ben Simmons Influenced Him to Re-Sign With 76ers in 2021

Danny Green re-signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2021. At the time, most assumed the decision was the usual mix of team fit, title aspirations, and perhaps the influence of Joel Embiid. But Green had a different reason in mind. His reason was rooted in how well his game meshed with a teammate who, at the time, was still considered a cornerstone of the franchise. It wasn’t Embiid. It was Ben Simmons.

Simmons wasn’t known for scoring, but for his unique blend of size, defense, and elite court vision that made life easier for everyone around him. For a shooter like Green, that kind of player was gold.

During an appearance on All The Smoke, Green said the reason he stayed in Philly wasn’t because of the big man in the middle, but because Simmons made the game easy. Simmons was the engine that created the shots Green thrived on.

That 2020–21 season saw Green attempt more threes per game than at any other point in his career, and he credits Simmons for generating those clean looks. His passing unlocked Green’s role as a spot-up shooter, and the chemistry was enough to convince the veteran that it was worth sticking around.

He said, “I actually signed back because of Ben. I liked playing with Ben, I had my career high in three-point attempts playing with Ben. I was getting six a game.” Of course, that was before everything fell apart. Green watched it happen in real-time.

He recalled Simmons passing up the wide-open dunk in the playoffs against Atlanta, a decision that left the entire team in disbelief. In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, when Atlanta had a two-point lead with over three minutes to go in the fourth quarter, Simmons had an opportunity for a wide-open dunk.

For reasons best known to him, he decided to pass the ball to Matisse Thybulle instead. The 28-year-old, sandwiched between two defenders, missed the shot. Green said, “I think a lot of people were concerned, like, something was going on. We didn’t know what was going on.”

Green revealed that Simmons also had a COVID scare right before the game, and the team wasn’t sure if he would play the game or not. Regardless of what happened in that game and in Ben Simmons’ career over the last few years, Green still considers him a great player. He believes that before his struggles took over, he was a force to be reckoned with.