Ben Simmons blasted by Stephen A. Smith with harsh accusation

Former No. 1 pick Ben Simmons is one of the most controversial NBA players in recent memory.

Simmons, the former Philadelphia 76ers guard, has dealt with the numerous situations that have held him off the floor, including injuries and mental health. Despite missing a ton of time in his eight-year career, he has cashed some serious checks. NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith is among those critical of how Simmons' tenure in the league has gone thus far.

"The only injury I've ever questioned is that damn Ben Simmons. Don't get me started on that damn Ben Simmons. He's lucky he's not in prison for theft," Smith said on The OGs Show with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller. "I'm sure he did work out down here. I'm sure of all the places he could really get focused and zero in on his basketball prowess, he's going to pick Miami."

Simmons appeared in 57 games over the past three seasons, averaging 6.7 points and 6.7 rebounds on 57% shooting. He is expected to be at full health by the beginning of the 2024-25 season, but few trust him to remain at full strength. It's also a serious unknown if the 27-year-old will play elsewhere next year, due to a lack of fit with the Brooklyn Nets' timeline.

"I mean, don't get me started on this brother right here. The skillset he had, I know he couldn't shoot, but everything else he doesn't want to play, he don't love the game," Smith shared. "I'm not saying he wasn't injured, but I'm talking about an absence for the love of the game. Remember, he was missing games before he was injured. They pointed to mental health. We can't dismiss the importance of mental health. The reason why I'm critical of it is because that never prevented you from making sure that check was in your account every two weeks."