Sixers' Ben Simmons on LeBron James: "That's the enemy right now …"
LeBron James has been a mentor to Ben Simmons, but now that the season is under way, Simmons is focused on his team and his team only.
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WASHINGTON – Don't ask Ben Simmons about LeBron James during the season.
Right now, the 76ers point guard is focused on his team – not his mentor and Cleveland Cavaliers perennial all-star. But a reporter asked Simmons Wednesday if he had talked to James and wished him well this season.
"That's the enemy right now, until the season is done," he said. "During the summer, he gave me a lot of advice. He's a great person off the court."
Simmons and James are both represented by super-agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.
Talking Hayward’s injury
Gordon Hayward's horrific leg injury was fresh on the Sixers' minds on Wednesday. Just don't tell that to coach Brett Brown.
The coach was asked if he mentioned the injury to his players. Hayward, a Boston Celtics swingman, suffered a dislocated left ankle and fractured tibia in Tuesday night's nationally televised TNT game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The injury occurred after he attempted to catch an alley-oop pass early on the game. However, he came down awkwardly after colliding with LeBron James. His foot was twisted.
"I completely pretended that didn't happen," Brown said. "I did not even mention it. It's one of those unspoken, we get it, examples. … Those types of injuries when you see, I don't even like mentioning them. We all know."
However, Simmons said he witnessed the injury as soon as he sat down to watch the game.
"All I saw was his ankle," he said. "I'm praying for him, because I know what it's like to go down with an injury like that."
Simmons missed last season after suffering a Jones fracture in his right foot on the final day of training camp.
Covington giving back
Robert Covington will donate $20,000 to Playworks Pennsylaniva on Thursday at Chester Arthur Elementary School's playground. Playworks in a program that provide safe and healthy play at Philadelphia school.
The forward is slated to play basketball with the children and talk to them about staying active and healthy eating.
No extension for Stauskas
As expected, the Sixers did not negotiate a contract extension with Nik Stauskas prior to Monday's deadline for first-rounders in the final year of their rookie deal. He will become a free agent on July 1..