"I hate to even bring him up, but Ben Simmons has to take a page out of his book" - Scottie Pippen advises Ben Simmons to take a page out of Giannis Antetokounmpo's playbook to overcome his fears
As the Ben Simmons soap opera drags on, multiple analysts, former players, fans and legends have chimed in with their take on the situation. Chicago Bulls legend and Hall-of-Famer Scottie Pippen is the latest to comment on Simmons. He said that the All-Star has to take a page out of Giannis Antetokounmpo's playbook and persevere to improve his game despite the obstacles in his way.
Ben Simmons is known to be one of the most talented players in the league. He has the ideal size and length to be a disruptor on defense and elite athleticism, superior basketball IQ and playmaking skills to dominate on the offensive end. However, the Australian's lack of willingness to shoot from the perimeter has hindered his progress.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, on the other hand, has grown from strength to strength and has now elevated himself to the status of being a top three player in the league. Giannis had a similar problem to that of Simmons but refused to let that stop him from improving, putting in the effort and attempting three pointers without the worry of failure.
Scottie Pippen, in an interview with NBA's Sirus XM radio, heaped praise on Giannis for his massive improvement. He shed light on Giannis' willingness to try and overcome obstacles when it came to shooting. Pippen added that Ben Simmons could learn a thing or two from the Greek Freak. Here's what he said:
"I have always admired the way Giannis has played, the progress he has made year in and year out and the fact that he's not afraid to be humiliated. That's what makes him great. We saw him shoot air ball threes, and we have seen teams force him to shoot threes. He's really worked on his craft. Teams started fouling him, and you know, he hasn't run away from anything. He's met every challenge that has been thrown at him."
He added, saying that:
"I hate to even bring him up, but Ben Simmons has to take a page out of his book, you know, as dominant as he should be. He has to play that way. If he gets fouled, he has to keep putting himself in that position to overcome his fears, and that's what he hasn't done."
“Ben Simmons has to take a page out of [Giannis Antetokounmpo’s] book.”
Scottie Pippen shares how much he admires the Greek Freak for persevering through adversity.
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We have all seen Ben Simmons knock down threes with effortless ease in the off-season and we are left scratching our heads wondering why he isn't able to replicate that when it matters the most. Whatever the reason may be, the clock's ticking on Simmons and he will have to figure it out as soon as possible considering his current situation.
Can Ben Simmons fulfill his potential and elevate his game when he returns?
Ben Simmons will have a massive chip on his shoulders to prove himself once he returns, irrespective of whether he plays in a 76ers jersey or gets his wish and moves to another team.
The move might help Simmons in terms of his mental health, but he will have to do something drastic in the time that he has to figure out a way to get a working jumper. The most athletic players in the league in their prime, whether it be Blake Griffin, LeBron James or Vince Carter, have eventually found a way to get a reliable jumper knowing that age will catch up to them sooner rather than later.
In his rookie year, Blake Griffin was shooting 0.3 three-pointers a game. Now he shoots 6 three-pointers a game. https://t.co/KVXAcBfWSW
Ben Simmons has an uncanny ability to make the right plays on the defensive end and has the skillset to be an elite player in the league. With a three-point jumpshot in his arsenal, he will once again elevate his status to become one of the best players in the league. The one thing holding him back from being a top-10 player in the league is his lack of willingness to shoot and he will have to figure that out before he gradually falls.