Harry Styles, 25, running into Kendall Jenner, 23, at the Met Gala on May 6 was the reunion fans had been waiting for, but that – and reports that they were the “last people to leave” the same Gala after-party – has Ben Simmons, 22, asking questions. Kendall’s on-again/off-again bae “is confused that Kendall seemingly spent the night with Harry. He can’t help but wonder if Kendall and Harry are more than friends or if it is something else,” a source close to Ben shares EXCLUSIVELY with HollywoodLife.com. This confusion couldn’t have come at a worse time. Ben and his Philadelphia 76ers are on the verge of being eliminated from the 2019 NBA Playoffs, and the last thing he wants is relationship drama taking his head out of the game.
“Ben is fighting to win the NBA playoffs and trying not to be distracted by his off the court personal life,” the source tells HollywoodLife.com. “But it makes him feel uncomfortable to learn about Kendall and Harry together at the Met because he really likes Kendall a lot. He is doing his best to focus on work and doesn’t have time or energy to worry about Kendall. But if his team gets knocked out of the playoffs, or anything short of a Finals championship, he fears he may get blamed in the locker room for bringing the Kardashian curse on his team.”
Ah, the dreaded “Kardashian Curse,” or the superstitious jinx that seemingly befalls any athlete that gets romantically involved with a Kardashian/Jenner. Reggie Bush, Lamar Odom, Kris Humphries, Jordan Clarkson, Blake Griffin, and Tristan Thompson are some of the supposed victims. The “curse” also supposedly affects non-athletes, like Tyga, Kanye West, and Scott Disick, and it seems that Ben doesn’t want to be the latest name added to that list. Though, it might be too late. In Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Toronto Raptors, the 76ers suffered one of their worst losses in the franchise’s postseason, 125-89. Ben was particularly bad, shooting 3 for 5. He finished the game with only 7 points and committed five turnovers.
Related: Kendall Jenner & Harry Styles: Exes Are All Smiles During Friendly Run-In At Met Gala — Pic
Perhaps Ben’s strategy of putting basketball ahead of love backfired? Ben hit the brakes on his and Kendall’s relationship because “going out on dates with her would be a bad look for a team that is looking to win the NBA Championship,” a source EXCLUSIVELY told HollywoodLife.com, adding that Ben was “devoted to the NBA,” and it was “all business and it’s all basketball” for him. The source said the two were “still dating” but decided to give each other space so he could “focus all his attention on the team and upcoming games.” Meanwhile, it seems Kendall’s attention was on Harry, if just for one night.