Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young was part of NBA history that affected a particular star. This was about the 2021 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was Game 7 of the series, and the Sixers were trailing closely behind the Hawks, 88-86. Ben Simmons was in the post against Danilo Gallinari and spun toward the baseline.
Young was there as a help defender. But he’s 6-foot-1 and known to be a defensive liability. Simmons, on the other hand, is a 6-foot-9 point guard and was one of the most explosive players attacking the rim. It was an easy mismatch on Philly’s advantage. However, the Australian athlete did not defeat Young. Instead, he passed up the shot and gave it to his teammate, Matisse Thybulle, who was fouled on a shot attempt.
It’s basketball history that most 76ers fans wish to forget. It also affected Simmons’ career, as he started to decline and suffer back injuries.
In a recent episode of the show “Club 520 Podcast,” hosted by former Atlanta Hawks star Jeff Teague, Young appeared as a guest. He discussed the viral moment and his thoughts at the time of the matchup against Simmons during his appearance on the show.
“Yeah, like I’m about to fake block it,” Young said. “And the picture looks crazy like I’m about to fake jump and block it.”.
StoryTime With Trae@TheTraeYoung pulled up to 520 @520Hen vs Trae in the Post 😂 pic.twitter.com/3MDZnWF1zy
— SBWells (@wellssssssssss) September 15, 2025
“No, I was just going to, and he said it to, ‘I thought he was going to foul me.’ Which I probably would’ve just grabbed his arm,” Young replied. “I was really probably about to swing through and grab his arm and make sure he didn’t shoot free throws.”
Ben Simmons’ blunder against the Atlanta Hawks has affected his image
Things changed for Simmons after his mistake at the 2021 playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. Doc Rivers, the head coach at the time, stated that he didn’t think the three-time All-Star could be a player who could fight for a championship after the 76ers lost the series. His relationship with star center Joel Embiid changed, as the two had a falling out.
After that, he was traded by the front office to the Brooklyn Nets. Although he tried to return to his old self, things weren’t the same. His back problems made it difficult for him to be on the court with the squad. In his three-year stint with the Nets, he only appeared in 90 games, averaging 6.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists.
Following that, his contract was bought out by the Nets and was signed by the Los Angeles Clippers to finish the rest of the 2024-25 season. But Simmons only appeared in 18 games, averaging 2.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
