Ben Simmons' Bold Statement Went Viral After Nets-Jazz Game
On Monday night, the Brooklyn Nets lost to the Utah Jazz by a score of 112-111 (in overtime).
Ben Simmons had 14 points, six rebounds, nine assists and two blocks while shooting 7/11 from the field in 32 minutes of playing time.
After the game, the three-time NBA All-Star made a bold statement that got a lot of views on social media (h/t Brian Lewis of The New York Post).
Simmons (via Lewis): "I know this is kind of like a rebuild situation, but we’ve got to go in there like we want to win regardless of what the front office is expecting."
Simmons is in his third season playing for the Nets (and fourth with the organization).
He is currently averaging 6.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 7.0 assists per contest while shooting 55.9% from the field in 28 games.
When Simmons was first traded to Brooklyn, they were seen as a contender with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant on the roster.
That said, the franchise has entered a major rebuild over the previous few seasons.
Right now, the Nets are the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 13-26 record in 39 games.
Following their loss to Utah, the Nets will now play the Portland Trail Blazers (in Oregon) on Tuesday.
On the road, they have gone 8-14 in 22 games.
Simmons was the first pick in the 2016 NBA Draft after one season at LSU.
At one point, he was among the best young stars in the league.