NBA star Ben Simmons’ family denies abuse claims made by Olivia Simmons

The family of Aussie basketball superstar Ben Simmons has denied shock claims his sister made in a series of explosive tweets.

The sister of Aussie NBA superstar Ben Simmons has repeated allegations she was molested by their half-brother after the family denied the claims over the weekend.

Olivia Simmons last week made the serious accusations on Twitter, alleging her half-brother Sean Tribe abused her when she was a young child.

Mr Tribe, who is Ben Simmons’ manager, issued a statement on Saturday on behalf of the family, saying they were “devastated” by the allegations and claiming the “entire family deny them”.

It sparked fresh social media posts from Ms Simmons on Monday in which she repeated her claims and questioned the veracity of the statement.

“I am many things but a liar is not one of them,” she wrote. “I’m never going to stop speaking because what happened to me changed me, the way I think and how safe I feel around certain people.”

The 29-year-old continued, saying “nobody in their right mind” would make up such allegations and pledged she would tell her entire story “when I’m ready”.

“The truth shall set you free,” she wrote.

Ben Simmons, Sean Tribe and Olivia Simmons.

Olivia is Ben Simmons’ elder sister.

In a series of tweets that began on Wednesday, Ms Simmons accused Mr Tribe of abusing her from the age of three and claimed she had been “silenced for years” from speaking out about the allegations.

“At the end of the day I was molested by my half brother for years from age 3,” she wrote on Twitter.

“I’ve been asking for therapy but my family would rather sweep it under the rug because it could damage my brothers brand. I’m over hiding.”

Ms Simmons also claimed she told her mother about the alleged abuse when she was five but was not supported.

The alleged abuse caused her to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and other serious mental health issues, she claimed in her tweets.

“I don’t blame my dad but there was someone who knew and that person was my mother and again she doesn’t ever want to discuss these things because she got the life she was aiming for,” Ms Simmons wrote.

“She often says ‘I should’ve just had Ben’ … I will not be silent.”

NCA NewsWire is not suggesting the allegations are true.

The Simmons family, with Olivia and Sean Tribe at the front.

Three days after the first of Ms Simmons’ tweets, Mr Tribe issued a statement to Instagram and Twitter from the family categorically denying her allegations.

“We are deeply saddened by the false allegations made on Twitter this week by our daughter and sister, Olivia Simmons, against her brother,” the statement reads.

“As a family we are devastated that we even have to release this statement. The allegations she made never happened.

“Her brother and the entire family deny them.”

The following is from lawyers for my family. pic.twitter.com/mdLhpVUsuD

— TRIBE (@seantribe) April 10, 2021

The statement went on to say Ms Simmons had suffered from mental health issues and had been “in and out of treatment for much of her life”.

“We love her very much and our hearts break for her,” it said.

“Still, we do not understand why she would fabricate these allegations.

“The family has always provided both help and support for her mental health, and we continue to do so, however she has to engage and remain engaged in the process. Both her family and friends will continue to encourage her to do so.”

It said the family had full support for women who are “brave enough to speak up” about their abuse and trauma and they should be “empowered to do that”.

“But that is not what happened here,” the statement said.

Sean Tribe lives in the US.

“We would ask that people respect our privacy as we work through this as a family. We want Olivia to find healing and peace and in due course, reconcile with her family who loves her very much.”

Melbourne-based mother Ms Simmons claimed on Twitter before Mr Tribe’s statement came out that she had been pressured to issue a statement of her own “saying I am lying”.

“I gain nothing from opening up about traumatic event other than healing and helping others,” she said.

“I was molested, it ruined my life, I am now recovering.”

NBA star Ben Simmons is one of Australia’s greatest basketball exports. Picture: Elsa/Getty Images/AFP

Ben Simmons, who was born in Melbourne and also lived in Newcastle during his youth, is one of Australia’s greatest basketball exports.

The Philadelphia 76ers star, 24, earns an estimated salary of $US29m per year and has been touted as a favourite for the NBA’s defensive player of the year this season.

Drafted as the number one pick in 2016, he was named NBA rookie of the year in 2018.

He is said to be close with sister Olivia, herself a talented basketballer who played for the Arizona State Sun Devils at college level in the US.

Ms Simmons is known to speak her mind on social media and made headlines in 2019 when defending her famous brother after he claimed he was racially profiled when denied entry into Melbourne’s Crown Casino.

“I’m tired of old white Australian men saying things aren’t racist when they are,” she said.

“I think Australia is such an amazing country … what cannot be denied is we have a racism problem out here but it’s silent racism so people just sweep it under the rug.”