Ben Simmons is salty about getting snubbed as All-Star injury replacement
Kemba Walker’s selection as Kristaps Porzingis’ All-Star Game replacement over Ben Simmons is a divisive topic. One would assume that Simmons was unhappy about getting snubbed for a fifth time. However, his response on Thursday to a tweet that shamed the NBA for choosing Walker over Simmons was fairly ambiguous.
— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) February 8, 2018
Was the Stanley Hudson rolling his eyes tweet in response to everyone trying to stir up controversy or about getting passed over for a guy whom he outperformed in all those categories?
His response on Friday needed no further clarification. Simmons officially expressed displeasure about his exclusion from the All-Star Game before the Philadelphia 76ers trounced the New Orleans Pelicans 100-82, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey.
.@BenSimmons25 on getting passed over as an #AllStar replacement 3 times: “I don’t really know what an all-star is anymore. I mean if it was about win-lose, you picked Dragic obviously and you pick Kemba, whose team is 7 wins under us. It is what it is, but my stats don’t lie.”
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) February 9, 2018
Simmons is averaging 16.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game on 52.9 percent shooting from the field. In Friday’s win over the Pelicans, Simmons scored only 10 points but had one of his trademark complete games, registering nine rebounds and 8 assists in 25 minutes.
Simmons will have to stew on this perceived disrespect until next season’s All-Star rosters are announced. If he channels this into motivation to extend the limited range on his pedestrian jump shot, there won’t be any questions about his place on future All-Star rosters. As a consolation prize, Simmons will have three opportunities to take his frustrations out on Walker and the Hornets after the All-Star break.
