Ben Simmons responds to prominent criticism of him

Los Angeles Clippers guard Ben Simmons addressed one prominent criticism of him in a new interview.

Some fans and pundits have questioned Simmons’ passion for the game of basketball as the former No. 1 pick has dealt with injuries in recent years. In a new interview with Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, Simmons fired back at that perception.

“Basketball is my life,” Simmons said. “I don’t want to play with my life. So that’s who I am. It’s in the family, it’s in the blood. This is what I do. It’s like walking. I love it. This is just what I do. Wake up, basketball’s my thing. And I love the game. I love the opportunities it’s given me in life and my family. So, I mean, even when I step away from the game one day, I’ll still be involved in some aspect, whether it’s coaching, whether it’s helping the youth and giving back. That’s just what I’m going to do.”

Simmons said many of the criticisms aimed at him are a product of people “making s–t up,” and was critical of the negativity from those who cover the league.

“For the league, it 100% [has a negative domino effect]. Because nothing’s really valid now,” Simmons said. “Everyone can say what they want, and I mean, it is what it is. That’s where the world’s going in terms of covering the sport.”

Simmons’ dedication has been questioned for years now. Even some with the Brooklyn Nets privately questioned his passion for the game amid his numerous injuries. He played in just 57 games between the start of the 2021-22 season and the end of the 2023-24 campaign, with a holdout and a major back injury the primary reasons for his absence. Of course, there were already plenty of questions about both his mental and physical status dating back to his time with Philadelphia.

Simmons recently joined the Los Angeles Clippers, where he has been averaging about 19 minutes per game off the bench. He has also recently made a surprising announcement about his international career, so perhaps the worst of his injury issues are behind him.