Stephen A. Smith takes another shot at Ben Simmons. [photo: Smith IG, Simmons IG]

Ben Simmons played 15 games last season after seeing action just 42 times during the 2022-23 campaign. Simmons sat out the 2021-22 season to force a trade out of Philadelphia before completing a no-play campaign due to a back injury. Over the last three years, he has played 57 games and earned $106.2 million during that stretch.

Stephen A. Smith took a handful of shots at Simmons during that span. The ESPN host claimed he understood the injuries and the mental health battle but was unforgiving about the point-foward’s alleged unwillingness to play. Smith didn’t hold back in a few of his rants.

On “The OGs” podcast with Udonis Haslem the “First Take” host hilariously blasted Simmons:

“The only injury I’ve ever questioned is that damn Ben Simmons. … He’s lucky he’s not in prison for theft.”

When Haslem informed him that Simmons has been working out in Miami, Smith only got even more animated:

“Really? 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? I’m sure he is down here. His Zoolander a**.”

The “Straight Shooter” author added that Simmons, outside of shooting, had “everything else.” The problem with the Brooklyn Nets player is “he doesn’t love the game.”

Since the 2021 playoffs when the Philadelphia 76ers were sent home by the Atlanta Hawks, Ben Simmons has not been the same. The Brooklyn Nets acquired him for James Harden but ultimately lost that trade. Simmons’ unavailability and poor play when he isn’t injured have forced observers like Stephen A. Smith to be critical of the three-time All-Star.

Stephen A. Smith once called Ben Simmons “a sorry trifling a**”

During the 2023 NBA playoffs, basketball fans were disappointed that the Philadelphia 76ers versus Brooklyn Nets series would not have one of its main characters. While Joel Embiid was available to lead Philly, Ben Simmons was again injured, forcing him to play cheerleader for the Nets.

Embiid, James Harden and the 76ers dispatched Brooklyn in four games even if “The Process” sat out Game 4 due to a knee injury. The win pushed the Sixers to a semifinal showdown against the Boston Celtics.

The 76ers took a 3-2 series lead with a chance to send Boston to vacation in Philadelphia. Embiid and Co., however, collapsed in the next two games, including a beatdown in Game 7. As the Celtics cruised to victory in the winner-take-all battle, Ben Simmons went on Instagram to troll his former team.

The Australian shared a story on IG showing the 76ers trailing 108-78 while he had a glass of wine on the table. Stephen A. Smith lit up Simmons for that trolling.

“I have never seen a superstar in the game of basketball play in a Game 7 as badly as James Harden played in Boston. … The only thing worse than James Harden was that sorry, trifling a** Ben Simmons.

Stephen A. Smith added that Simmons treated basketball as if somebody had asked him to go to Ukraine to fight the Russians.

After Smith’s recent comments on Haslem’s podcast, it is obvious that the ESPN analyst hasn’t changed his stance about Simmons.