Shaq says Ben Simmons angrily DM'd him after 'crybaby' comments on 'NBA on TNT'
Ben Simmons is in Shaquille O'Neal's DMs after the Hall of Famer and TNT analyst called Simmons a "crybaby," among other critiques, while the NBA on TNT crew unveiled the 2022 NBA All-Stars on the show last week.
O'Neal said on his "The Big Podcast" that Simmons direct messaged him after the critical comments. He wouldn't say what was said, only that the Philadelphia 76ers holdout "said some things, and I said some things back."
It was clear by the conversation Simmons wasn't chatting him up to say thanks for the remarks.
What Shaquille O'Neal initially said about Ben Simmons
While the crew discussed the 2022 NBA All-Star selections, O'Neal gave praise to 76ers center Joel Embiid. Embiid was named to his fifth consecutive All-Star Game and has only ever missed out on a selection in 2016-17, his first year playing games after a foot injury.
Simmons, 25, has not played all season as the stalemate between him and the Sixers organization trudges onward. He is still on the roster, but refusing to play and has already amassed a reported $19 million in fines. It could total $31 million by the end of the season.
O'Neal said in part, via NBC Sports Philadelphia:
"I stay on big guys because I care about them. I want them to play a certain way, I want them to play at a certain level. The difference between [Embiid] and his soft partner [Simmons] is, he can take criticism without being a crybaby and he still wants to play.
"Me and Charles [Barkley], we've been on [Embiid] and we stay on him. We told him to his face what he needs to do. He didn't cry, he didn't say 'I want to get traded,' he didn't complain about mistreatment. And that's the difference. That's why I like and respect him. The other guy, I don't respect him."
There have been reports of issues between Simmons and head coach Doc Rivers, Embiid and fans. According to a new ESPN report this week, Simmons is also upset Embiid "seemed to blame him" for the playoff loss in 2021.
O'Neal: Simmons is 'messing the money up'
O'Neal explained on his podcast he feels Simmons "messing the money up" and only not playing because his coach called him out.
"He acting like a baby.”@Shaq went IN on Ben Simmons and says the Sixers star DM'd him mad for comments Shaq recently made on @NBAonTNT
More on #TheBigPodcast: https://t.co/v263O0hCCc pic.twitter.com/LGl9dtOYHJ— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 3, 2022
O'Neal's remarks on "The Big Podcast with Shaq" this week:
“Let me tell you why I'm pissed off,” O'Neal said. “Magic [Johnson] paved the way for Mike [Michael Jordan]. They wasn't making no money. [Jordan] paved the way for me to get all that bread I was getting. I paved the way for [Kevin] Garnett. Ben Simmons is messing the money up.
“First of all, they already think we're spoiled. They already think we don't deserve it. You're making $40 million, and the only reason you're not playing is because your coach called you out. You're making us look bad.”
"I've been in this moment many times. They ask, they say, 'Hey, you think you can win with Shaq in the fourth quarter?' And all my coaches say, 'He got to step up and knock them down.' They all said that. I didn't go, 'Oh, I already got 38. I missed 12 free throws, trade me, get rid of me.'
"You're acting like a baby. So he kind of got on my DMs and said some things and I said some things back."
O'Neal added that Simmons is "probably mad because I'm his LSU brother" as both players attended the school.
