NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is sticking to the inflammatory comments he made about Australian Ben Simmons, questioning the severity of the back injury keeping him out of the game.
Speaking to Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks, O’Neal – who has been a strong critic of Simmons in the wake of his blockbuster trade from the 76ers – said he was unwilling to walk back his judgement, unless he hears from the Nets guard himself.
“When you leave people room to speculate, they’re going to make their own speculation,” he said.
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“If I said something that was hurtful, maybe he should call me and say, ‘Hey, you said this.’ I’m intelligent enough to stop time and say, ‘Okay, when did I say it?’ And then I say, ‘You know what, that wasn’t right.'”
O’Neal said that a mix of theories and facts around Simmons’ herniated disc, subsequent surgery and recovery period had informed his comments.
“Right now, we just going on speculation — and some facts, because I’ve got some people where he is. So I know a lot and I see a lot. But he hasn’t said why he’s not playing,” he said.
After being traded to the Nets in February, Simmons sat out the remainder of the 2021-2022 season with the back complaint. He had a successful microdiscectomy procedure earlier this month, shortly after the Nets were swept by the Celtics in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
O’Neal was scathing of Simmons’ absence in April, when the three-time All-Star was expected to return for part of the Nets-Celtics series.
“In the hood we call this a punk move,” O’Neal said during an edition of ‘Inside the NBA’ on TNT.
“You know, when things are going good, ‘Oh yeah I’m going to play in Game 4.’ Now that [the Nets] lost, ‘My back hurts.’ Well, if your back hurts, get some Icy Hot. I’ll send it to you (as an endorser).
“Listen, if you’re not ready to play, you’d get more respect from the people if you just say, ‘I’m not ready to play’ and don’t say nothing else. Don’t be shooting and saying, ‘I’m coming back.’ … If you’re not going to play, don’t say you’re going to play. I think you should play.
“I think you should step up to the challenge and help your team win. But no, the punk move… we all know what that is.
“Ballers know what that it… Guys that live this life, we know exactly what you’re doing buddy.”
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