“Sorry trifling a** Ben Simmons” – Stephen A. Smith rips 3x All-Star with hilarious analogy
Ben Simmons has emerged as a hot topic recently as Brooklyn Nets fans look ahead to next season. As the team went down in the playoffs, Simmons remained on the sidelines with back pain, leading many to question his future in the league.
After missing all of the 2021-22 season and undergoing surgery on his back, the expectation was that Simmons wouldn't be at 100% until early in the 2023-24 season. Despite that, he appeared in 42 games this season where his play varied from underwhelming to promising.
Early in the season, he seemed to struggle as to find his rhythm, fouling out repeatedly and passing up shots that frustrated his teammates. Amid theories that Simmons was struggling with his confidence, many wondered what the future had in store for him.
As he looks to use the offseason to complete his rehab, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith has taken aim at the former All-Star. He spoke on his "Know Mercy" podcast on the heels of the former All-Star posting a picture watching the 76ers get eliminated by the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday.
"I have never seen a superstar in a game of basketball play in a Game 7 as badly as James Harden played this past Sunday in Boston. Embiid was a disappointment, the only thing worse than James Harden, was that sorry, trifling a** Ben Simmons.
"And I tried to be nice to Ben Simmons. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. How the hell are you talking about a basketball player when you treat putting on a basketball uniform and dribbling ... as if somebody asked you to get on the front lines in Ukraine to fight Russia. That's how scared he is to play basketball."
Ben Simmons' injury history, and struggles with mental illness in recent years
As Stephen A. Smith pointed out, Ben Simmons' injury history has been under the microscope in recent years. After Simmons was widely criticized for his hesitancy and unwillingness to score over Trae Young in the 2021 playoffs, controvery ensued.
Simmons sat out for a year, first demanding a trade and then dealing with back injuries and mental health problems. After being traded to Brooklyn, Simmons' antics were again under the microscope.
The way Stephen A. Smith sees things, it's hard to keep Ben Simmons' story straight.
"They brought up mental illness. I didn't bring that up. I didn't say anything about that. I'm not making light of something like that. He brought that up. He said that was (his) rationale. He said that he needed therapy. He said that he needed to talk to people. Then, it's a back injury. Then, it's a knee injury. It's all of these excuses not to play."
As Simmons looks to rehab this offseason, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for him.
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