“If he doesn’t play, that’s gonna tell me a lot about him” – Shaquille O’Neal on Ben Simmons potentially missing the game vs the Philadelphia 76ers

Shaquille O’Neal has said that it remains to be seen if Ben Simmons features against his former team, the Philadelphia 76ers, on March 10.

In 275 games for the 76ers, Simmons made just five threes. In James Harden’s first game for Philly, he hit as many three-point shots as Simmons made for the 76ers. It was one of the topics of conversation in O’Neal’s The Big Podcast with Spice Adams and Nichelle Turner.

The trio talked about how Harden played in his debut game for the Sixers last week. The former MVP had 27 points, eight rebounds and 12 assists, seemingly fitting perfectly alongside Joel Embiid. Meanwhile, Simmons has not played a single game this season after his trade to the Brooklyn Nets.

With the Nets and Sixers set to play on March 10 in Philly, O’Neal expects Simmons to be available to face his former team. The four-time NBA champion also noted that Simmons’ absence would ‘tell him a lot’ about the disgruntled star.

“If he doesn’t play, that’s gonna tell me a lot about him,” O’Neal said.

It’s not the first time O’Neal has called out Simmons this season. He called Simmons a baby for not handling criticism very well, during an early February episode of Inside the NBA on TNT. Apparently, the three-time All-Star did not appreciate the comments, sending O’Neal a direct message.

O’Neal revealed that he exchanged words with Simmons, who was unhappy with the big man’s words. The two share a common bond, though, as both stars played for LSU during their college careers.

Ben Simmons could miss Philadelphia 76ers game

The Brooklyn Nets acquired Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers at the trade deadline.

However, Simmons has not played a game for the Nets due to a couple of injuries. First, it was a hamstring injury that delayed his debut before a sore back has ruled him out, with no timetable for a return.

Nets general manager Sean Marks revealed in an interview on Thursday that Simmons is trying his best to get in shape and integrate with the team. The former Sixer’s status is considered week-to-week. So he’s expected to miss the clash with his former team on March 10 in Philadelphia.

At the start of the season, Simmons and his camp revealed that he was suffering from mental health issues, rendering him unable to play for the Sixers. However, in reality, it might be just Simmons wanting his way out of Philadelphia. Now that he has got his wish, he continues to be out due to injury.

It’s baffling why someone like Simmons, who is paid millions of dollars as a pro athlete, is not in game shape at a crucial moment for his team. The Nets are in a precarious position in the Eastern Conference, with just about a month left in the season.

Kevin Durant may be back from a knee injury, but Kyrie Irving is still unable to play in home games due to his COVID-19 vaccination status. With the Nets in the bottom half of the top eight, there’s a possibility of them facing the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.

Also Read
Article Continues below

It remains to be seen if Ben Simmons plays against Philly, and more importantly, if he would be fit enough to face them.