Back in 2016, Ben Simmons was the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round draft pick. With his promising performance, Simmons went on to win the ROTY award and present himself as one of the best defensive players in the league. He has always been a part of some heated controversies in the past. In fact, the Australian made headlines yet again for his statements on criticism and speaking up about his past.
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Earlier this year, The Sixers fined Simmons more than $19 million for missing 50 regular-season games.
Ben Simmons opens up about his past
After 2021, it has been a rocky road for the Sixer’s Guard. His name was frequently brought up in conversation, and he received criticism for his poor shooting skills. The three-time All-Star discussed a variety of topics during his latest appearance on JJ Redick’s podcast. During the conversation, Reddick quoted Simmons on his passing ability, ” I’m 6’10, I can make any fu**ing pass.” The Australian star had once told Reddick during a game after being asked whether he could make a specific pass. Subsequently, the entire panel started laughing.
Recently the term “Hack-A-Simmons” has gone viral. The three-time All-Star has received a lot of vitriol and criticism from fans. The Sixers traded him away after he had a disappointing playoff performance.
Later in the interview, Simmons revealed that he still feels he’s a part of Philly. In addition, he is grateful for the fans there. Now, the young star faces the challenge prove himself in a new franchise, the Brooklyn Nets. Ben will be expected to perform at his best in the upcoming season, with all eyes on him.
Simmons once DM’d Shaquille O’Neal
After facing so much criticism and conflict from his franchise, Simmons once direct messaged the Lakers legend, Shaquille O’Neal. In the Big Podcast with Shaq, Shaq revealed that once Ben DM’d him.?When asked more about the message, Shaq denied revealing further about his and Ben’s conversation.
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"He acting like a baby.”@Shaq went IN on Ben Simmons and says the Sixers star DM'd him mad for comments Shaq recently made on @NBAonTNT
More on #TheBigPodcast: https://t.co/v263O0hCCc pic.twitter.com/LGl9dtOYHJ
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 3, 2022
This was not the first time Shaq presented his views on Simmons. In the past, Shaq has criticized Ben Simmons for his lack of willingness to improve his craft despite getting paid a lot of money.
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