Former Teammate Blasts Brooklyn Nets' Ben Simmons

Georges Niang didn't mince words in regard to Simmons' holdout which led him to Brooklyn.

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Ever since that fateful game seven against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2021 NBA postseason, it appears Ben Simmons has rubbed almost everyone the wrong way. Through holdouts, lackluster performances and occasionally an inability to stay on the court, Simmons has become one of the league's biggest punching bags.

This holds true for current Cleveland Cavaliers forward Georges Niang, who joined Richard Jefferson's Road Trippin' podcast to discuss the two's time together in Philadelphia.

"F--k this dude," Niang said. "I'm like 'oh, this is perfect. I'm a spot-up shooter. This guy [expletive] drives to the lane, everybody collapses, he kicks out.' Like, it [was] going to be great for my career."

Simmons ultimately held out into October of 2021, when then-head coach Doc Rivers was forced to throw him out of practice due to Simmons refusing to substitute into a drill.

"That's when I was like, 'if I get an opportunity to play against this dude, I'm going to just be an a--hole.' Yes, it is a business and I want to compete in between the lines. I'll compete, but at that point, I was pissed."

While fans and media members alike have berated Simmons in the past, this marks the first time a former teammate has truly gone in on him. Niang's comments give an interesting perspective into what playing with Simmons was like. The full dialogue can be found here.

Whether or not Simmons' Brooklyn teammates feel the same as Niang remains to be seen, but due to the likelihood that 2024-25 is his last with the Nets, it's entirely possible that light is shed on his time with the franchise somewhere in the distant future.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Nets on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Nets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.