Ben Simmons IS WHY THE NBA SUCKS
Ben Simmons has gone from being hailed as the future of the NBA to becoming its ultimate cautionary tale. Once lauded as a potential Hall of Famer, Simmons now symbolizes everything wrong with modern basketball: entitlement, lack of accountability, and inflated contracts for minimal effort.
The Hype That Never Delivered
In his rookie season, Simmons was touted as the next LeBron James or Magic Johnson. Experts like Michael Jordan and LeBron himself believed Simmons was destined to dominate the league. Fast forward to today, and those lofty comparisons have aged like milk. While Simmons showed flashes of brilliance early in his career, his game never evolved. He remains a player with glaring weaknesses—chief among them, a complete inability to shoot beyond two feet from the basket. Over his tenure in Philadelphia, fans waited in vain for any noticeable improvement. Instead, Simmons stagnated, coasted on his physical gifts, and refused to adapt.
The Brooklyn Disaster
Simmons’ stint with the Brooklyn Nets has been nothing short of a catastrophe. Since joining the team, his availability has been laughable. Over the last four and a half seasons, he’s played a mere 86 games out of a possible 295. That’s a dismal 29.2% attendance rate, rivaling the worst injury records in the league. Unlike Zion Williamson, whose physical potential still offers hope, Simmons’ ceiling has long since collapsed. Even when he steps onto the court, his production is abysmal—a “triple-single” specialist who offers little to no value to his team.
The $40 Million Heist
The most infuriating aspect of Simmons’ career is the astronomical sum he continues to rake in. This season alone, Simmons is earning over $40 million, placing him among the top 30 highest-paid players in the league. For comparison, he earns more than MVP candidates like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jayson Tatum, as well as proven champions like Donovan Mitchell. Simmons has turned collecting paychecks into an art form, averaging $2.5 million per game last season. For every basket he made, he pocketed over $500,000. To put it bluntly, Ben Simmons has executed one of the greatest financial heists in NBA history.
The “Mental Health” Excuse
Simmons’ exit from Philadelphia was marred by one of the most controversial moments of his career. After his infamous Game 7 meltdown against the Atlanta Hawks, Simmons cited mental health issues as his reason for refusing to play. While mental health is a legitimate concern, Simmons’ actions—including trolling the 76ers after their postseason loss—undermine the seriousness of his claims. Many saw this as a manipulative ploy to force a trade and avoid accountability for his failures.
A Symbol of NBA’s Problems
Simmons epitomizes the worst traits of modern NBA stars: the refusal to take responsibility, an overinflated sense of worth, and a willingness to prioritize personal brand over team success. Surrounded by yes-men who feed his ego, Simmons has become a caricature of entitlement. In past eras, players fought to get back on the court. Today, Simmons seems to look for every excuse not to play. His apathy stands in stark contrast to the grit and determination that once defined the league.
The Final Year Mirage
Conveniently, Simmons has suddenly declared himself “healthy” in the final year of his bloated contract. Fans aren’t fooled. This newfound motivation isn’t about love for the game; it’s about securing his next paycheck. With the Nets languishing in irrelevance, Simmons faces little pressure to perform. In any other market—New York, Los Angeles, or even Detroit—his antics would be scrutinized. But in Brooklyn, he continues to skate by, cashing checks while delivering nothing in return.
The NBA’s Future?
Ben Simmons’ career is a cautionary tale for the NBA. He’s the embodiment of a league where stars are overpaid, underperform, and lack accountability. If the NBA wants to regain its credibility, it needs to address the systemic issues that allow players like Simmons to thrive financially while contributing so little. Until then, Simmons will remain the poster child for why the NBA, in the eyes of many fans, sucks.