🏀 Why Everyone Hates Ben Simmons: The Most Wasted Talent in NBA History
Ben Simmons was supposed to be the next LeBron. A 6-foot-10 point guard with elite vision, all-world defense, and the athleticism to play every position on the floor. Instead, he became the most polarizing player of his generation — not because of what he did on the court, but because of what he refused to do. Specifically: shoot a basketball.
The Villain Resume
The Ben Simmons experience can be distilled into one play. Game 7 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Atlanta Hawks. Simmons receives the ball under the basket with a clear path to the rim, guarded only by Trae Young — one of the smallest players in the league. Instead of dunking, Simmons passes the ball to Matisse Thybulle. The Sixers lose. Their championship dreams die. And Ben Simmons becomes a national punchline.
That single play encapsulated everything that frustrates fans about Simmons. He has every physical tool imaginable, but he is so terrified of shooting free throws — he shot 34 percent from the line in that playoff series — that he would rather pass up a wide-open dunk than risk going to the foul line. The fear is paralyzing and, for fans who watched him get paid over $170 million, infuriating.
After the Hawks series, Simmons refused to play for the Sixers. He cited mental health concerns, held out for months, and forced a trade to the Brooklyn Nets. The holdout lasted from July 2021 until February 2022 — seven months during which Simmons collected millions in salary while refusing to suit up. The Sixers fined him, docked his pay, and the relationship became irreparable.
In Brooklyn, things got worse. Simmons played only 57 games over two full seasons, citing a back injury. When he did play, he looked like a shadow of his former self — passive, disengaged, and still unable to shoot. The Nets traded him, and his career as a meaningful NBA player appeared to be over before his 28th birthday.
The Defense
Mental health is real, and Simmons' struggles with anxiety and depression should not be dismissed. The pressure of being a number-one pick in a city like Philadelphia — where fans are famously unforgiving — clearly took a toll. The back injuries were documented and legitimate. Simmons deserves empathy for what he went through off the court.
On the court, Simmons at his best was a unique and valuable player. He was a three-time All-Star, a Defensive Player of the Year finalist, and one of the best transition players in the league. His passing vision was elite. His refusal to shoot was a flaw, not a lack of talent.
The Verdict
Ben Simmons is hated not because he is a bad person, but because he represents wasted potential on a scale the NBA has rarely seen. He had the body of LeBron, the vision of Magic Johnson, and the shooting confidence of someone who has never touched a basketball. The pass to Thybulle, the holdout, the non-performances in Brooklyn — it all adds up to a career that will be remembered for what could have been rather than what was. That is the most frustrating kind of villain: the one who had everything and did nothing with it.
