Shaq on Ben Simmons: 'I don't respect him, I would get rid of him' / News - Basketnews.com

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Philadelphia 76ers superstar Ben Simmons has missed the entire NBA 2021-2022 season so far. Many people in the media came out to criticize the player. This time, it was the legendary Shaquille O'Neal in the daily NBA on TNT show.

Shaquille O'Neal

Position:CAge:49Height:216 cmWeight:147 kgBirth place:United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

"He/I stay on big guys because I care about them. I want them to play a certain, I want them to play at a certain level," Shaq started off. "The difference between him [Joel Embiid] and his soft partner [Simmons] is he can take criticism without being a crybaby and he still wants to play."

"Me and Charles, we've been on him [Embiid], we stay on him, we tell it to his face what he needs to do," Shaq continued. "He didn't cry, he didn't say he wanted to be traded, he didn't complain about mistreatment, and that's the difference. That's why I like and respect him."

"The other guy [Simmons], I don't respect. I mean, thinking about it, you're missing the whole season because they asked your coach a question if you can win without him and your coach gave a funny answer," the legendary center told his colleagues.

"That should tell you you need to get in the summertime and work on your game," Shaq advice Simmons. "You don't think I hadn't been criticized by you guys, by Stephen A.? You don't think I hadn't been criticized by LA media, by New York media?"

"Great players get criticized, but great players also step up to the criticism and perform," Shaq finished off his statement. "So this other guy, I don't respect him, I would get rid of him."

The next day, O'Neal expanded on the matter on his The Big Podcast, criticizing Simmons for diminishing athletes' image in the public space.

"Ben Simmons's messing the money up. First of all, they already think we're spoiled. They already think we don't deserve it. You're making $40M, and the only reason why you're not playing is because your coach called you out. You're making us look bad," Shaq said.

Points this season

46%107,8Points made:107,8Accuracy:46,4%Place in standings:21Record max:133Record min:85Best scorer:Joel EmbiidTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

"I've been in this moment many times," Shaq continued. They said 'You think you can win with Shaq in the 4th quarter?' All my coaches said you got to step up and lock them down."

"I didn't go 'man, I already got 38, I missed 12 free throws, you have to trade me, get rid of me'," Shaq recalled his career. "He's acting like a baby. He got into my DMs. All I said was you're leaving your man, you got to play. That's all I say."

Shaq recalled his dominant times playing alongside the late Kobe Bryant and had some advice for the 76ers as a team as well.

"I could've won 8 or 9 championships with that man, instead, we both argued about whose team it is," Shaq told during his podcast. "I talked to them, I got to speak with Philadelphia. Don't fight for useless titles, fight for each other."

"I realised after I left LA - I don't believe I've been my whole career fighting for a useless title. 'Shaq, you're the man, this is your team.' But in reality what the fuck does all that mean? Doesn't mean nothing, doesn't mean nothing," Shaq told his colleagues about the fight for the NBA title.

O'Neal received a personal message the next day from Simmons himself.

"When it's all said and done, you don't want to back saying to yourself I wish I could've. There's so much Elon, Bezos out here for everybody. I'm gonna get my piece, you can get your piece," the Hall of Fame center talked about the current situation.

"Just take it," Shaq said. "Don't give it away by being 'Oh, it's Joel's fault, I don't want to play, it's coach's fault.' He went to LSU, I care about him, I want to see him succeed. I want to see all these young brothers succeed."

"He was mad. He's probably mad because I'm his LSU brother. And I am, I'm still his brother," Shaq speculated about Simmons. Asked about whether he gave Simmons his number, O'Neal was blunt: "No, because there is nothing to talk about."

Tonight, O'Neal backed his statements off a little bit during another edition of NBA on TNT.

"He's going through some things right, I'm going to back off now," Shaq said. "I wish him well, I wish he makes the best decision for himself."

"When I say something, you have permission to come back. With me, it isn't personal. If I say something about how I feel at the time, if you don't like it, holla at me. He holla'd," Shaq recalled about receiving a personal message from Simmons.

"I have to be sensitive about what he said, I'm not going to discuss what he said. I respect him, he's going to do some things, I'm going to just back off," Shaq told his colleagues.

"I/we criticize them because we got criticized, but the great ones step up to criticism," told the viewers about the situation. "I'm not going to say how I feel. That's just how I felt at the time."

"You've got Charles, one of the greatest players, Kenny, who smacked me in the Finals," Shaq continued. "When you used to criticize me, it used to hurt, but I wasn't making free throws, so I can't come back and worry or be mad."

"Again, I have respect for him and his family, and I'm going to back off," Shaq finished his statement.

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