Ben Simmons, the 29-year-old three-time All-Star, last played for the Clippers in the 2024-25 season, when he joined them on a veteran minimum contract. Simmons created a buzz around his potential comeback to the NBA after a year-long hiatus with his recent interview in Men’s Health Magazine.
But the Australian seems to have triggered some nerves in the NBA media with his comments. Stephen A. Smith was not happy to hear Ben Simmons’ comments and decided to slam the league’s door in his face.
The renowned sports analyst for ESPN recorded an episode of his own podcast, ‘The Stephen A. Smith Show,’ where he got a bit candid about his opinions on Ben Simmons.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t want to be blasphemous here. So, I’ll say it tongue-in-cheek. I don’t think Jesus could convince me to take Ben Simmons,” Smith said.
“And if I did so, I’d do so begrudgingly only because I’d be scared to go to hell if Jesus asked me and I didn’t listen. I think Ben Simmons is a basketball abomination. He is the only player that I have ever witnessed in NBA history who I believe should pay NBA teams to have him play, not the other way around. He should have to pay them.”
“To say that he is a disaster doesn’t begin to describe it. Now, we’ve danced around this issue for years. Because we did not want to come across as being remotely insensitive to people with mental health issues.”
“And obviously there were a lot of people that was saying there were mental health issues that plagued his career, and that really he piggybacked off of that. And he said, ‘Okay, yeah, that’s what’s going on with me.'”
“I want to remind y’all, this brother was literally on the basketball court scared to shoot layups in the playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. Layup right under the basket. He’s 6’9 and giving it to somebody else cause he was scared to shoot the basketball.”
“Literally treated attempting a jump shot as if you had asked him to be on the front lines in Iraq, Iran, or Afghanistan, or some place like that. I mean, you can’t make this up. You can’t make this up,” Stephen A. Smith further added.
“And for anybody that was sitting there, hey, Stephen A was going through it. Well, you know what? Did those mental health issues come about when that brother went to the bank to make sure he could cash his check?”
“Did it come about when he was making $40.3 million with the Brooklyn Nets and the Clippers in the 2024-2025 season? How about the season before that, when he made $37.8 million? How about the season before that, when he made $35.4 million?”
“You’ve got to remember in 2021 he was making 30.5 million with the Philadelphia 76ers, but then the next year was such an atrocity that his initial $33 million salary was reduced by $12 million due to team fines and settlements during his trade holdout.”
“I mean, literally, 6’9, ball handler and passer extraordinaire could defend, I mean, former number one overall pick in 2016, if I remember correctly. The brother was special. And then something happened to him, and he was literally scared to play.”
“But now that he’s been out of the league for a year and he missed the money in all likelihood, here he is going to talk about coming back. And let me tell you the nerve, the gall of this man.”
“Do you know what he said? Ladies and gentlemen, I wouldn’t mind going to Miami. That’s what he said. I wouldn’t mind going to Miami. Really? That’s what we’re doing? Miami would be nice, and not because it’s Miami. I like Eric Spoelstra. I like the Heat. I like the organization. I like the culture,” said Smith while mocking what Simmons said.
“Really? What would you like about it? Eric Spoelstra wants you to play. Pat Riley is going to demand you play. They want you to earn your money down there. What do you like about it? Inquiring minds want to know cuz you ain’t done it for nobody else.”
“A basketball atrocity. The biggest waste of talent we have seen in NBA history, if not all of professional sports in our lifetime. Never has somebody been so damn good, that good, and been a waste of space.”
“I remember I watched him in Brooklyn one time. Kyrie looked like he just wanted to go over there and hug him. It’s going to be all right. And talking to him, nice enough guy. Always says the right things. Ballooning with confidence right up until the moment you get him on the court,” Smith recalled.
“And ladies and gentlemen, I’m talking about petrified. And here’s the thing that drives you crazy. He was petrified against the dudes that he was better than. You’re better than half of them. Still scared. It was literally the equivalent of an elephant running away the minute it sees a mice or mouse. That was Ben Simmons. You can’t make it up. I’m not exaggerating. Go watch the tape.”
“You can’t pay that, man. They should put they should invoke a new rule in the NBA that allows a player to pay a team to let him play. If Ben Simmons ends up back in the NBA, it should be because he literally paid you to allow him to play for your team. That’s how bad he was. That’s how useless he was.”
“There are practice players that have no business in the NBA that would have given you 10 times more of a contribution than Ben Simmons gave you. Go back and look at the stories. It was unbelievable to witness. It was unbelievable to watch and see. It was unbelievable.”
“And what I’m saying to you is this. Your mental health issues, that’s what derailed you. That’s what got in the way. But then why are you ready now? Did you offer to give some of that money back that you stole? ‘Cause that was thievery. He didn’t earn those dollars. I’m sorry. I don’t want him on my team. I’m telling you that right now. No way,” concluded Smith.
Simmons went from being an elite playmaker with three All-Star selections to a role player who averaged 5.6 assists, 5.0 points, and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 52.0% from the field in 51 games played.
The number of controversial incidents that followed his decision not to play, and the consequent lack of confidence on the floor in his return, does not make him an ideal fit for any NBA franchise.
Ben Simmons Targets Heat, 76ers Amid Potential Landing Spots
Simmons spoke to Men’s Health Magazine, which started the domino effect of Stephen A. Smith’s extensive reaction. The 29-year-old initially declared his intentions to return to the NBA this season.
“I plan on getting as strong as I can physically, getting my a– on the court, and then the team realizing that my abilities will be needed… Maybe I’ll go back to Philly. Miami would be nice. And not because it’s Miami—I like Erik Spoelstra, I like the Heat, I like their organization, I like the culture,” Simmons said.
Unfortunately for Simmons, the 76ers will likely not want him back after everything he did while he was with the franchise. And this is not the first time Simmons has declared his intentions to return to the 76ers. Earlier in December, he commented on being open to a 76ers return, where money is not the issue.
Moreover, the Heat are looking to add shooters to space the floor around a frontcourt of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
So I doubt that Pat Riley would even consider a player with Simmons’ record, and even if he did, Simmons would just clog the lanes and cause problems with floor spacing whenever he shares the court with either Antetokounmpo or Adebayo.
Therefore, I agree with Stephen A. Smith to the extent that I don’t think any team would want him on their roster, especially the ones that he is considering.
Ben Simmons Points At 76ers Teammate For Infamous Incident
Simmons also addressed the wide-open layup that arguably changed the course of his career, or at least changed how more than half the league perceived him to be.
“I wasn’t hitting my s–t…. I just gave the ball to somebody who was shooting a higher percentage at the time. How about (Matisse Thybulle) should’ve made the f—ing free throws? But he didn’t, and it is what it is. That’s still my boy,” said Simmons.
There is no clarity on how Thybulle would perceive these comments, but he would clearly not appreciate them. Simmons reportedly cut himself off from several 76ers teammates during the sour end of his tenure with the franchise. So I think Thybulle will feel some type of way about these comments.
What Simmons seems to be saying here is that one incident should not define a player’s legacy. But if that incident was stretched into a long absence from the court and ill treatment of teammates, then it is hard for any franchise to forget about his history, which has also affected recent behavior, let alone the players forgiving him.
If the 29-year-old somehow manages to find an NBA contract even now, I doubt we will ever see him play significant minutes on any team to be considered a high-impact player at this point in his career.
