3x All-Star Ben Simmons hasn’t played since the 2021 playoffs, and it’s unlikely we’ll see him play again before October.
As reported hours ago by Adrian Wojnarowski, Simmons has been officially ruled out for Game 4, meaning he’ll have gone the entire season without playing a single game.
After hearing the news, Stephen A. Smith stole the show on NBA Countdown in an intense rant against the Melbourne native:
“I feel bad for anybody who was his teammate. He quit on LSU, he quit on the Philadelphia 76ers, and now he ain’t showing up for the Brooklyn Nets. We could point to all the excuses, all the rationale behind it that we want to. I do recall, despite him not playing, that he still filed a grievance to collect $20 million that he has not earned. This is on of the most pathetic situations that I’ve ever seen in my life. He ain’t going to war, he ain’t going in the Octagon, he’s not going in the boxing ring. It’s pulling teeth to get this man to play basketball. It’s pathetic, it’s sad and at the end of the day when the NBA gets to the collective bargaining table and they go after the players in terms of pay for play stipulation in the collective bargaining agreement, it’s going to be called ‘the Ben Simmons rule.’”
Stephen A goes OFF on Ben Simmons
“This is on of the most pathetic situations that I've ever seen in my life”
(🎥 @AhnFireDigital )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 24, 2022
Simmons, 25, has become a very controversial figure in the NBA community. On the court, despite his talent, he is very flawed. His inability to shoot from the perimeter was often a liability for the 76ers, and it hindered their potential.
Off the court, his war with the 76ers lost him a lot of fans. After getting his feelings hurt by Doc Rivers and Joel Embiid, he tried to force his way out — and refused to play until he was traded.
Using mental health as an excuse, he went on to miss every single game and even had the nerve to ask for his money after he was traded to Brooklyn.
To still not play now, when his team is on the verge of elimination, says a lot about where he is mentally. Some, like Stephen A. Smith, are just done trying to make sense of it all.
