It doesn’t seem like Ben Simmons will be joining the Australian National Team anytime soon. Recently, Boomer (legend?) Andrew Bogut gave his input on the ongoing situation with Simmons and the 76ers. During the offseason, Ben Simmons dropped out of the Olympics to focus on developing his game.

Simmons’ late departure, alongside his holdout from the 76ers, left a sour taste in the mouths of many around the league, including Andrew Bogut.

“It’s not a good look for anyone. It looks really poor on Ben,”

One of the most prominent issues with Simmons is the group he surrounds himself with. Ben Simmons’ brother, Liam Simmons, who at his best was a D2 basketball coach, is his current shooting coach. Klutch Sports has been receiving nothing but negative press for how they have guided Simmons throughout the whole process.

Andrew Bogut doesn’t think poor of Simmons himself but does not like the situation he has created for himself.

“You’d have to jump through all 55 layers of people just to get to him. That’s the first thing. It would take you three or four weeks. The thing with him is, when you get him one-on-one, he’s not a bad kid. He’s actually engaging. He’ll have a chat with you. It’s just the handlers and people around him, whether it is his family, agent, or manager. I think they’re advising him wrongly.”

“That is the most disappointing thing. I don’t think he makes a lot of his own decisions. My advice to him would be, ‘you’re almost in your mid-twenties, time to put pants on and run your own career instead of pouring off to all your handlers.”

Andrew Bogut is entirely in the right for everything he has said here. It’s not like the 36-year-old was a flash in the pan player. Throughout his 13 year NBA career, the Australian center played for several championship teams, including Golden State Warriors’ dynasty. 

It’s evident that the issue stems from Ben Simmons’ camp. They are the ones who stunted his development by pulling him from the 76ers’ shooting coaches during his rookie years and have enabled his attitude for several years. Hopefully, Simmons realizes the error of his ways and will be a changed man when he returns to the court for the 76ers.

Mandatory Credit: FIBA