Sixers star Ben Simmons, who is willing to change, has apparently reacted thin-skinned to criticism from NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal. He had recently described Simmons as a “crybaby”, which Simmons apparently complained about via private text messages.
“He reached out to my DMs and said a few things and I replied a few things,” Shaq said on his Big Podcast podcast. However, O’Neal did not want to go into the exact content of the text messages.
“I can’t share that,” said the Hall of Famer, who revealed Simmons was “angry.” “Probably because I’m his LSU brother. But I’m still his brother,” Shaq said, referring to the college the two future NBA stars attended.
O’Neal had in his role as an expert on TNT in the past week to vehemently criticized Simmons, who refuses to play for the Sixers and thus wants to force a trade. “I was just saying leave your boys out there, you gotta play,” Shaq explained on his podcast.
But the four-time champion’s statements went a whole lot further than that. He had called Simmons a “crybaby” and hit him hard for his handling of criticism: “The difference between [Joel Embiid] and his soft partner is that he can take criticism without being a crybaby and he still wants to play.”
Shaquille O’Neal on Simmons: “Don’t respect him”
Embiid didn’t care about criticism from O’Neal or his TNT-Partner Charles Barkley complained but was shown a response on court. “That’s why I like and respect him. I don’t respect the other guy,” O’Neal continued, referring to “the other guy” Simmons. “I would get rid of him.”
The 25-year-old has not played a game for the Philadelphia 76ers this season due to mental problems. Simmons apparently never wants to play for the Sixers again after being publicly criticized by teammate Embiid and head coach Doc Rivers after the 2021 playoff exit.
So far, however, there is no prospect of a trade, as Sixers boss Daryl Morey has not yet deviated from his high demands. The Simmons drama may well drag on into the summer.
