Lakers' LeBron James Reacts to Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid's All-Star Absence
Many NBA players weren't thrilled about the idea of having an actual All-Star game amid a pandemic. But the league still managed to plan an entire weekend's worth of events in one night in Atlanta, Georgia.
Unfortunately, not everybody voted in getting the opportunity to be involved. Philadelphia 76ers stars Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiid were set to play on Sunday night with the rest of the league's best, but a positive COVID-19 test from their barber forced the league to rule the Sixers stars out as they entered the health and safety protocol.
The good news is, the two Sixers stars continue to register negative COVID tests. The bad news is that didn't allow them to play in Sunday's matchup, which disappointed other All-Stars such as James Harden, Zach LaVine, Donovan Mitchell, and one of the captains, LeBron James.
"Well, I think it's very unfortunate that Joel and Ben won't be able to play on our game tonight," James said hours before the game after hearing about the situation. Obviously, they are two worthy All-Stars, and this means a lot to all of us, even no matter how you feel about having to be here."
Embiid described the situation best recently. After initially having doubts about playing in the game last month since he was nursing several minor setbacks, the big man didn't hesitate to confirm he'll play in the All-Star game just a day before the draft.
"Like I said before, you can never take those occasions for granted," Embiid said last Wednesday night. "It's a great feeling to be part of the best players in the world. I'm just looking to go out there, stay safe, and have fun playing the best game in basketball."
Ben Simmons, who had no initial doubt about playing in the game, looked forward to showcasing his skills with the best of the best as well for a third-straight season. Unfortunately, neither Embiid nor Simmons received the opportunity to do that.
Now, the two All-Stars are back in Philly and hopeful that they can travel to Chicago later this week to take on the Bulls on Thursday night. At the moment, their status for that game remains unclear.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.
