Stephen A. on Ben Simmons and the Sixers: 'Somebody's lying!' | First Take

Stephen A. Smith, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo and Jay Williams debate on how Ben Simmons came across in his first press conference as a member of the Brooklyn Nets.
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[@MindfulAttraction]

In one sentence he said it was mental health related, the next sentence he said it wasn't mental health related. We all know it's B's. When he got fined, he claimed he got back problems. Then he was evaluated and deemed false, then he came out with mental health. He's a freaken liar

[@hughhefner5348]

Don't care should've traded him long time ago

[@ike.o6944]

Facts💯; We all know Ben Simmons is a terrible public speaker. There's evidence of it in all his pressers in Philly. His presser in Brooklyn was full of holes and that's typical of him....I'm surprised the New York media didn't dig into the timeline of his mishap in practice/getting kicked out, then he had a back issue, didn't get paid, and then all of a sudden he was dealing with mental health issues when the 76ers took his money. Ben Simmons is a joke for that.

[@100ovrbatmanbron7]

@@hughhefner5348 then he shouldn’t have tanked his value by choking and then acting like a child

[@a.j2836]

You may be verified but that don’t mean nothing your opinion is still trash

[@hughhefner5348]

@@100ovrbatmanbron7 he didn't. Sixers just wanted too much. They got lucky that harden forced his way there. And they still had to give up alot. And if he choked why not just give him away? Why do you want high value for someone so bad who chokes?

[@ivanjakus4805]

If Sixers and Nets meet in playoffs, that would be box office for sure

[@ledrivera5320]

Lol with the current Nets roster?Nets in 5. .😂😂😂

[@youngdeezy6969]

Who would guard embiid?

[@niceandflyy]

@@youngdeezy6969 who will guard kd and kyrie?

[@youngdeezy6969]

Who will guard harden Seth curry?

[@youngdeezy6969]

That might work I still think it would be a good series

[@cruluv3381]

People really don’t understand the context of this situation. That organization gave him everything. They gave him a new contract and even fired the coach all in hopes of this guy improving his game and he refused to do it. The new coach backed him all last season when he wouldn’t shoot the basketball. In the end, Ben Simmons is running from himself all because he’s comfortable with who he is and he’s uncomfortable with the expectations that came along with his contract

[@thankgoditsfrida]

Sounds about right.

[@simplierj8382]

That's a lie. They were all set on Joel not Ben

[@_jeffrey359]

@@simplierj8382 that’s cap. They wanted a coach who can use Ben without scoring

[@Sheyi80s]

I concur with u.. But do we want to pretend like we dont know how many times Ben's name came up in a trade conversation? Or how many time this same media folks have said they should separate both Joe and Ben that they can't work? Double standard.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

The expectations for him are nonsense. The guy is a great player with an Achilles heal. They should have capitalized on his strengths. He's good enough to work around his weakness

[@JasenMinus]

There's a difference between the depression that everyone faces, and clinical depression. Again, Stephen A is right. Somebody is lying. Somewhere

[@johnpaulkerrigan7975]

Ben is 76ers have so mich more to lose from lying

[@masonr5677]

Ben is lying

[@bigchillin4216]

People go through things for various reasons in various ways. For some they may be ok with sharing if they're comfortable, for others that may cause them to feel anxious or vulnerable. ALL of this is about empathy and respect. Think about it, if you can be "normal" and then all of sudden feel the need to off yourself the next day, what makes people think the opposite can't be true? Giving yourself a different environment is proven to be an effective way to begin the healing process often times. People just REFUSE to show grace and empathy. It's not that they can't, it's just against their nature to do so. Mental health is real and people still associate it with the stigma of being crazy, insane, etc and belittle it which is wild to me. If you're not happy, or not yourself, or not growing how you want to, and it's affecting your temperament or mood and you can see/feel that, maybe it's time for you take a step back and reevaluate what you have going on and what you have surrounding you. People make up their own narratives though because they don't understand the concept of showing grace, empathy, and kindness without receiving anything in return.

[@erikdayne5429]

Thank you. So many people are confusing their moods with their mental health. Moods change quickly. Mental health issues don’t appear and disappear out of nowhere.

[@devontavandergrift7]

@@bigchillin4216 Everything you said is true but that’s the point SA was making. The fact that this is a big deal for anyone to have or go through, makes him lying (if he is ) so bad. If he is telling the truth they should apologize and sincerely say sorry but if he is lying that would diminish the serious view on mental health back to how it’s was or very similar. That’s the big point

[@eschey8]

I totally agree with Stephen A ….. it’s so convenient the mental health it wasn’t publicized until the Sixers withheld his pay……unbelievable the lengths people would go to get their way smh

[@t-raw6358]

I wouldn’t want to play with those seventy flippers bums anyway. Those guys suck. Embid can’t beat the hawks bruh

[@malikrevis6896]

He said he told the team about b4 the season so how do u kno the teams not lying

[@doublea614]

Preach

[@jeanlouis1898]

@@malikrevis6896 he’s lying bruh…you can’t be this naive

[@newrecruit100]

So if it was about money then why wouldn’t he just get on the floor and play, after all he got fined over 20 million.

[@sergkr2d2]

Stephen got that "you fell for my trap card" tone in his voice at 5:19 . 🤣🤣🤣

[@brandenarnold9202]

Straight like a villain 😈

[@elstcman5]

😂😂😂 underrated comment

[@burabojan]

@@elstcman5 the comment is made half an hour ago, it hasn't been rated at all yet. If you like the comment then say so, you don't have to misuse the term "underrated"

[@elstcman5]

@@burabojan lol I’m gonna offer you grace instead of going back and forth in what is sure to be a low self esteem exchange. But I personally love the online idiom of “underrated comment” that happens on the internet to describe something that you personally deeply identify with or to get ahead of a situation where the sentiment could go overlooked, thus calling attention to it. You should try using it sometime instead of having so many rules!

[@rundeaux4412]

U been watchn yu-gi-oh on Netflix huh 😂🤣😂🤣

[@superkid12345]

I feel bad for guys like Demar Derozan and Kevin Love who have done so much to fight the stigma of mental health issues in the NBA, for Simmons to swoop in and undue all of the work they have done

[@evanducreay6849]

Even if Ben is lying it shouldn't undo any of the work they did....mental health should still be handled with care and be addressed properly

[@VVAR10CK]

Ben Simons is full of it and Jayson Williams is full of it or jwil however he calls himself

[@b1bbscraz3y]

@@evanducreay6849 it will undo the work they did in trying to get more people to take it seriously. what Ben did will be used to point to when owners or anybody else has doubts about somebody else's mental health

[@marquisblakemore8468]

Don’t forget about my guy PG13 but I’m riding with Ben Simmons regardless

[@joeljohnson6137]

Unfair world

[@ShutThePuck]

Jay Williams is actually trying to argue that a valid mental health issue is a person not getting paid million of dollars because they voluntarily decided to not go to work

[@TheGayling2]

No he isn't. He's trying to argue that if regular people, who aren't being paid millions had mental health issues and hated their workplace, they would also remove themselves from that workplace if they could afford to do so.

[@ronniekregar3482]

I can't stand Jay Williams, he tries to act smart but he isn't.

[@nthomas504]

@@TheGayling2 its apples to oranges. Ben is only trying to keep his money. If a normal person cites mental health issues at their job, they will most likely not get PTO specifically for that. Ben is trying to have his cake and eat it too. He wanted out, he didnt want to play, and he wanted to get paid.

[@ShutThePuck]

@@TheGayling2 What sense does it make to even say that? "Regular people would kick up a fuss so Ben isn't doing something anyone else wouldn't do 🥴" He prefaced his argument by saying that mental health issues are on a spectrum "There are different ways to qualify what mental health is, right? I think there are some things that are extreme, I think that there are maybe some things that are less extreme to other people than they are to other people right? I think one of those things as it relates to Ben is that..." - That's his opening to the point he goes on to make about regular people having to go to work at jobs they hate with people they hate to pay the bills. Your interpretation is naive, he was 100% trying to suggest that Simmons not liking his place of work but having to go there because he has bills to pay is a mental health issue. Total nonsense.

[@Vanguardkl]

@@ShutThePuck having bills to pay with 300$ a week living paycheck to paycheck is nothing like earning 30 million $ to do nothing. He didn't show up. Are you living on planet earth? Mental health ok?

[@skiplemediajordan4128]

"The first indication of stupidity is a complete lack of shame." -Sigmund Freud

[@henrywilliamson8798]

SAS got Jay with his own words. Jay didn't have nothing after that. His face said it all.

[@2020Viszion]

He knows. They just had to bring a different opinion.

[@AliFrankTheTank]

This loud guy is the new skip or some ?😂😂😂😂 im crying

[@SonYaban]

😭😂😂😂😂😂

[@FaceFamous]

Every Wednesday he'll be on

[@Actlikemjsmith]

You can see Jay's face at the end. Stephen A. got him when he brought up the Kyrie situation 😂

[@jorbemesis1157]

Fax. That was so funny the way SAS was talking cuz he knew he got him 😂

[@evanducreay6849]

How?

[@9wardsouilja]

Bruh jay was hurt 😂😂. He trying smile it off

[@jamiejohnson1897]

How j-will killed sas on the Kyrie situation

[@jamiejohnson1897]

In reality when he is saying he works with these ppl everyday he talking about Molly band Stephen A Smith 🤔🤣 tell me I'm lying he points straight at both of em

[@dieselx506]

Stephen A wanted Skip Bayless back so bad that he went and got the Great Value version of it, Mad Dog Bayless, lol

[@persistentlypathetic6820]

Honestly I would pay to see Skip and Stephen A reunited for one episode again.

[@aliikram673]

Mad Dog is actually more qualified than Skip lmao he has been on sports radio forever.

[@ceejordan9649]

@@aliikram673 u do know Skip been a sports reporter since 1976 right??

[@FaceFamous]

@@persistentlypathetic6820 they tried. When max left they wanted to do a show with just them but the networks couldn't work it out on where it would be done at

[@omarhasan03]

FACTS!

[@hulkdaddy71]

The irony is that right after the Atlanta series, Ben Simmons said " I love Philly, I love the fans, I love the organization. I had a bad series". 🤔🤔

[@travonrumph5350]

With the fresh start for Ben everyone should be happy an praising him to be ready soon

[@papadre70]

As a Sixers fan I believe Ben used this as a tool not to play any more.

[@jalenking810]

What’s the damage if he actually is/was struggling? Do you need him to commit self harm or suicide before you take it seriously?

[@toughmunths]

@@jalenking810 The only damage he felt was money not going into his bank account.

[@longsalad5334]

@@jalenking810 if he actually was struggling, then why didn’t he just come out and make a public statement apologizing for the playoffs and taking at least some responsibility? If he was actually struggling most of us sixers fans woulda felt for him, we’re not trash like others falsely say

[@jeanlouis1898]

@@jalenking810 he refused to see the team doctors to be evaluated, his camp initially said that he wanted to be traded because of Doc Rivers and Embiid comments, this mental health nonsense came after he realized that he was gonna lose money….so now, as soon as he’s traded to a different team he’s showing up for practice and getting ready to play? you can’t be this naive bruh stop it

[@jalenking810]

@@jeanlouis1898 why does he need to see the doctors the team wants him to see??? What if he has his own he’s comfortable with? Y’all don’t get to control how he deals with his issues, the fact that y’all think you do is just disgusting. I’m sure getting away from a city and team that piled on him and didn’t care about his mental health issues has to do a lot of good for his well-being. I’m sure feeling welcomed and cared for makes him feel more comfortable to take that step

[@fairplayjay]

Be prepared for a lockout. These players have really gone crazy with holding the franchises hostage and forcing their hands. Owners bout to have a legit field day in the negotiations.

[@michaelst.maryjr.998]

The players and former players should walk and start their own league. Between MJ, Magic and LeBron they can pull enough business partners and sponsors to make it work. At the end of the day the players are the NBA. Nobody walks around with a lakers “buss” jersey,

[@arbernumani3709]

@@michaelst.maryjr.998 but they do go around with a “lakers” jersey. If the players create their own league they cant claim the brand names like lakers, celtics, warriors etc which hold historical value in basketball

[@ifimlyingimdying]

When does negotiations start ?

[@fairplayjay]

@@ifimlyingimdying not until the 2023/24 season. But there is a mutual opt out date for December of this year. Doubt the players will agree to opt out though for obvious reason.

[@joshuaserrette8141]

i doubt it but we'll see

[@raeedbrown8532]

When Markelle fultz was having mentle health issues that was hindering his jump shot 76ers went out and got him a specialist that following week so for him to say they knew and did nothing is highly unlikely because here in Philadelphia we take that very seriously

[@mannydaprofit2869]

Really? Philly is a trash organization they been for years they turned they back from Ben at the end of the day it’s a win win for both teams with this trade good luck the rest of the way!

[@raeedbrown8532]

@@mannydaprofit2869 you must be high im not saying they are the best organization but they are better than 80 percent of the rest of the league that's a fact last time sixers missed the playoffs was 2017 and been in contention since and mark my words Simmons will be in Orlando or some other basketball oblivion in the next 3 to 5 years because he just don't have the stuff to elevate his game as great as he is

[@mannydaprofit2869]

@@raeedbrown8532 after AI for almost about 10 years y’all were hella mediocre… all those trash years and draft picks that y’all lost on y’all should of been elite team but the people that run that team are 🗑 needless to say your a playoff team at most that’s it championship is not in the pedigree of that team! And I see Ben actually balling out in Brooklyn he actually has legit shooters and playmakers to accommodate his game…

[@raeedbrown8532]

@@mannydaprofit2869 Sixers made Micheal Carter Williams rookie of the year he left and was trash made jrue holiday and all star player just didn't have enough around him and the east was held hostage by LeBron and D-Wade sixers have always been in contention just kept running into hof players now we have one and another that will prove to be sixers are one of the more professional organizations in the like that's a fact

[@mannydaprofit2869]

@@raeedbrown8532 lol 😂 your joking right? Of course he was rookie of the year they didn’t have anything on that roster lol cmon now that was a given…

[@angela.shanta]

I am someone who is dealing with some serious mental health issues. I rarely agree with Stephen A, but he is totally right here.

[@mannydaprofit2869]

Hope everything goes well with you sending blessings your way! Keep your head up

[@TraeHall]

wrong removing yourself from a toxic enviorment can help ten fold

[@wesleymiller9059]

Hand in there, Angela. The best is yet to come!

[@JasonHWoods]

Hope you are doing well…. My mom is bipolar and my daughter has dealt with depression to the point she’s been hospitalized in the past. I truly, truly hope that your day, and each day afterwards, is great!

[@jamiethomas5849]

But that doesn’t make you the gatekeeper of mental health problems

[@Rachel_Martin90]

Bens sister made some accusations against their half brother who is also his manager around April of last year. She posted it on social media so it’s not a secret. She accused their mom of being aware of the abuse and not doing anything. I think that played a role on Ben’s mind.

[@DavidLee-vp3nr]

also his shooting coach

[@dominicc7278]

Most definitely but most people don’t see it outside basketball Ben just look like he didn’t wanna play basketball because we see what he could’ve done and has done before I just think he didn’t care

[@billgluckman4500]

But he’s going to be ready to go in 2 weeks as soon as he’s traded to Brooklyn, that’s not fishy to u?

[@veshaw.]

You know your right I saw a new 🆕 York post article say Sean tribe the half brother allegedly molested the sister and The mom was a abuse survivor if you're real human unlike like Stephen A Smith you can definitely empathize with the pain and that dude is going through who knows if something happened to Ben when he was young

[@Rachel_Martin90]

@@billgluckman4500 I’m not defending that part. I’m just trying to explain what the personal issues may be.

[@thatgirllivvy1925]

I remember the days of ESPN when you turn on the channel and you just have some good old highlights from the NBA NHL, MBL NFL games. I miss that format. Stewart Scott, Tom Jackson, Chris Berman so many other great analysts who covered the sport but also were entertaining you didn't have all these hosts and hostesses with the same talk same narrative and the same takes every day.

[@kamananui3]

Not wanting to go to work or not liking people you work with isn't really mental health.

[@simplierj8382]

Y isn't it?

[@hughhefner5348]

None of this bs is yall some weak minded mfers

[@chazmayfield6528]

So he’s supposed to let ppl he supposed to play for and play with talk Shii about him and come into work and smile like it never happen he’s supposed to come to work everyday knowing that at the end of the day they need him more then he needs them but take their bs and not let it effect him at all?

[@AlexJrJoseph]

This is the most articulated conversation I have ever heard on this show and ive been watching since it was Skip & Stephen A

[@aliikram673]

As someone who suffered from serious depression, there is a big difference between the “depression” that everyone experiences and real clinical depression. That being said, you need to completely put aside your own personal perspectives when dealing with these issues and put yourselves in their shoes.

[@buschg7106]

OK... the stress of the situation could DEFINITELY cause mental and emotional health challenges

[@Dats_dope]

Ben Simmons ruined it for players to get huge pay days !!

[@Jasoncj099]

XD you have no clue what you are talking about, it won't change anything

[@hughhefner5348]

@samthishan24 ok tell the owners to go out their and play the games and let's see how many ticket sales, views, and revenue they gain

[@piccolo5346]

@samthishan24 Nothing is gonna change still lol

[@turdferguson8175]

I think not much will change but it’ll force a long lockout fersure

[@ceejordan9649]

@samthishan24 this ain't the NFL. The players run the NBA

[@TV93412nc]

Is that mad dog from Mike n the mad dog? I remember that show being on my dads radio 24/7 when I was a kid 😆

[@rjchilds84]

Bruh almost everything reported in the NBA is a lie. We know Ben using mental health to keep his bread. Just like when know Harden isn't injured. Ben got away from Embid and Harden got away from Kyrie. Let's play ball.

[@GHOST91141]

😂 facts

[@bayareayackem100]

💯💯💯

[@izuki1245]

Yep,they both wanted out and got what they wanted,lets see what happens.

[@tyrellmiles1467]

Yeah. Magic ain’t ever get his coach fired. Jordan was never a gambler, Kobe never asked to be traded from the Lakers. Barkley never threw a fan through a window. Tim Duncan was never gonna leave San Antonio for Orlando to go play with T-Mac. Dan Gilbert never wrote a letter badmouthing LeBron. That’s all a bunch of lies

[@bme4449]

FACTS. Like we just wanna see basketball.

[@bigchillin4216]

I know I sat through that 15 min press conference like a lot of people claim to have, and Ben Simmons definitely was not talking in circles or contradicting himself. He answered the questions to his level of comfort and was clear about what his motive(s) were to the specified topics. Mental health was not the cause of his desire for a trade, but it was the cause of lack of enjoyment and performance of the game of basketball while in Philadelphia. Why is that difficult to comprehend? As much as people want to compare apples to oranges with their jobs to this situation, have you ever been in a job, or even a relationship, that left you feeling like a shell of yourself? Have you have wanted to take the time to take a step back and reevaluate or reaffirm yourself so you could enjoy yourself? Do people here really understand the difference between mental health and mental illness WITHOUT the entitled bias idiosyncrasies that people on the internet seem to have? Does empathy live here at all bruh?

[@Thunderbolt210]

THANK YOU!!!!! no one here is an expert there is no singular way for someone with a mental health issue to act.

[@erikdayne5429]

Lack of enjoyment is not a mental health issue. Why is that difficult to comprehend.

[@erikdayne5429]

@@Thunderbolt210 you don’t need to be an expert on mental health issues to know they don’t appear and disappear out of nowhere

[@mob4ever]

So are you saying that if I believe that, is that reason for him not want to work because his coach said he didn't believe in him? That's bs. They believed him enough to pay him.

[@Thunderbolt210]

@@erikdayne5429 it absolutely is what are you talking about. so I’m gonna assume you like video games. Just to make my point . Imaging If playing video games was something you loved, it makes you happy, you get excited to sit down and play, it’s you hobby you passion and it makes you happy. iBut then over the coming months, you don’t get as excited for games as you use to, your passion and love for video games is dying down, you don’t even have the feeling of playing them anymore, the idea of even starting a new game seems daunting to you and you just don’t want to anymore. Nothing about the games have changed but you just don’t feel the same love and joy from it anymore. Wouldn’t your first question be why don’t I like this anymore, why am I avoiding playing games? Why is this so hard for me to do? You telling me that’s not a mental space thing and there’s something you need to figure out for why this thing isn’t giving you the same fulfillment it use to?!?!? I know this is KZbin but mental health isn’t black and white. There are areas that are gray.

[@Ahjusshi_Brown]

If it wasn’t mental health and was instead emotional distress/struggles, he needs to correctly articulate himself. He’s contradicting himself either by lying or by not articulating himself correctly. Even in that press conference he contradicted himself by saying it wasn’t mental health and then later said you should be happy I’m smiling rn and that he went through dark times these past few months. Just be honest or don’t say anything at all, no one is gonna jump you for being vulnerable or choosing to keep that info to yourself.

[@erikdayne5429]

Yeah there’s a big difference between being angry or upset and having a mental health issue

[@onyx9857]

2:58 When you buy Skip Bayless on Wish.

[@lotusson]

What undermines Jay's point about Simmons exercising his ability to remove himself from a bad situation is the fact that Ben caused the bad situation! I get the impression that Ben wants to be seen as the victim of an organization that did him wrong... somehow. Really, all this started because of Ben's 100% meltdown in the post season and his unwillingness to take ownership of that. Had Ben played... not as bad, and the 76ers won the chip, this would be a non-discussion and Ben would be a 76er right now, guaranteed.

[@xxjeff1874]

Not true it started when the coach and star player threw him under the bus it ruined the guys confidence

[@eugenej5]

@@xxjeff1874 That’s even wrong. It started when Morey got in the door and tried to trade him for Harden the prior fall.

[@trevonricks5975]

@@eugenej5 people forget that part.

[@AceTheCap823]

Exactly if Ben plays even marginally better the sixers win that series

[@AceTheCap823]

@@xxjeff1874 and they had every right to do so after the disappearing act he pulled vs the Hawks

[@TheManTheyCallJC]

People don’t understand how much a change in scenery can affect a person’s mentally. Just be happy he’s happy man. He got off the 76ers and Darryl Morey got his guy

[@josezavala3322]

Jay’s face”F I messed up” 🤣

[@SuccessfulMentality94]

Everybody is capable of dealing with mental health issues. Depression being the most common of them. I think what needs to happen is everyone needs to educate themselves about the whole thing because people obviously are ignorant

[@flyguyducy9155]

Thank U Steven A Smith I Love When U Keep It Real💯

[@dayyzbeatz3368]

Jay Will CAUGHT again 😂😭😂 Team A

[@antwanwimberly1729]

Lol

[@kyb433]

Guys, mental health issues is a spectrum. How you deal with your mental health should not be compared to another person's way of coping.

[@Sean-fz1zg]

SAS using the phrases "some people and they" to get around calling him out himself 🤣

[@sstandarsh]

Stephen A woke up ready today lol great take

[@kaysheye7784]

Sixers fan here. I've been unhappy about how the last year went BUT Ben Simmons was definitely going through some stuff, I believe it was regarding his sister and other stuff. So I don't think he's lying at all. What I don't know is how this was (or if it EVER was) communicated to the 76ers. Anyways, it's sad Simmons had to leave like this, wish him all the best. Hope this topic end this weeks

[@joshuaserrette8141]

what happened with his sister you know something that espn nba and undisputed doesn't know

[@johngotti4286]

@@joshuaserrette8141 it was over social media. The ranting Philly fan guy destroyed her.

[@joshuaserrette8141]

@@johngotti4286 i saw i also saw there was some family drama as well smh

[@lewadkins1828]

Ben Simmons sister claimed she was molested since the age of 3 and some years after that by her half brother Claims that were found to be untruthful Her whole family Including Ben Simmons Put out a statement saying that his sister was lying

[@_swif_]

So he asked for a trade because of his sister's past?

[@AgainstTheRopesWithDos]

For once I agree with Stephen A!

[@CrookedJoeBiden]

SAS still hurt bout that Kyrie situation with Jay Will I’m dead 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤣🤣

[@yute7184]

Mad dog is an amazing addition i will watch every Wednesday

[@9wardsouilja]

6:50 that's the kind of hurt smile Jay put on 😂😂. Stephen A got him GOOD 👍

[@respectbegetsrespect6019]

Mental health is a serious problem and shouldn't be USED to ESCAPE failure, disappointment and/ or pressure. MH is thrown around on many different platforms for all the wrong reasons at times. I'm not saying that this is true in Ben's situation because he could have been feeling depressed, anxious and display other mental illnesses especially when he didn't perform well enough for Philly and players, fans, the media etc... came down on him. These players do feel pressure at times from all angles to perform but so does the average person working from 9-5pm who hasn't used MH as an EXCUSE.

[@sgtwiggins]

That gotcha moment was too sweet 😆

[@choward5430]

I'll wait and see how Simmons handles himself on the court in a Nets uniform.

[@johnbanks9868]

So basically you're saying because he makes a lot of money he's not human 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️

[@kevkeisha]

Didn't markelle fultz develop the gifts months after landing in Philadelphia and working with their trainers? When they traded him for Jason Tatum, it was considered a win for Sixers! Seems to point to Sixers being the problem!

[@christianclark402]

Yeah, it seems everyone forgot about all the other first-rounders that didn't pan out in Philly, Micheal Carter, Markell, Noel. 76ers is trash organization and perhaps it needs to be investigated.

[@Zee006_]

@@christianclark402 there are worst organizations in the league, the Sacramento Kings T-Wolves Orlando Magic say hello

[@kevalnagda9953]

@@christianclark402 Lol… you expect every first round pick to pan out? Look at any team’s draft history.. michael carter was a late first round pick.. noel and fultz both had injury issues, not like they went elsewhere and started balling out.

[@christianclark402]

@@kevalnagda9953 can't pan out if you don't develop and the 76ers are booboo. A true bottom-of-the-barrel franchise.

[@benbaines4852]

Chris's mad dog babbbbby... Made me smile

[@houstontexaslivingth]

We need more mad dog!!!

[@bradcornell6329]

If you believed it was mental health you are a fool. The second I heard I LOLed.

[@nakamstejoguizo]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@markschmechel3170]

Ben a liar that’s all you need to say. Jay looks clueless defending him

[@abdoulayepam2950]

SAS always says "there are people out there saying..." 😂🤣... stop it SAS, you're the people saying that 😂🤣

[@theiggod6921]

The problem is, whenever something doesn't go their way or they do something that's detrimental to their character and public perception, these athletes and celebrities site mental health issues. It's always when they are under scrutiny for something. It's like saying I cheated on my wife because of my mental health issues. Which is different than my divorce is causing me to have mental health issues. It's always an excuse for their bad choices. It's pretty darn disrespectful and disgusting at this point. Shame on them.

[@lrac_1]

I don’t believe in Ben, but those family issues started in April maybe before, sure the sixers knew, but in context on how he was dealing with it they could be also telling the truth when they said they didn’t know about the mental health issues m(not disclosed) but the case was also ended in September, before the season and after his statement…all things outside leads to him not wanting to really be in Philly

[@loudtake9980]

At the end of the day you can't tell Ben what he was dealing with, Stephen just mad he got up out of Philly just like he said he was.

[@drewp1076]

Easy for you to say. I know you don't have an employee you're paying millions for their services.

[@loudtake9980]

@@drewp1076 neither do you🤙🤙

[@Kentelligent24]

Who is that Walk Bayless 🤣

[@js2010ish]

Stephen A's face at 5:49 😂

[@Squeezemycrackers]

The owners are going to come for these players hard on the guaranteed money, finessing the system by receiving pay for not playing, and missing games whenever they please. These players need to be put in there place.

[@Petrov987]

He didn’t get paid because he didn’t play and they still fined him 19M even though he said mental health… so I don’t get the controversy… he didn’t get paid because he didn’t play so why would the owners go hard against the guaranteed money if they can fine him if he doesn’t play just like the nfl if they hold out….

[@Squeezemycrackers]

@@Petrov987 he would have been fined way way way more money if it were not for the mental health claim that he pushed for after the fact.

[@lindseyadams5339]

You sound very white!

[@hughhefner5348]

@@Squeezemycrackers ok tell the owners to go out here and play basketball and let's see how many fans show up to see the owners play and buy their jerseys.

[@Petrov987]

@@Squeezemycrackers they can’t fine him much more he is losing his pay check for the season about 30M and that’s it they can’t fine him anymore the mental health issue isn’t affecting anything it was just a player that didn’t come to work so they fined him.

[@waxda]

No one seems to remember Ben saying more than once in his press conferences after a poor game that he "needs to get his mental right". That was during the regular season well before the playoffs. I don't think Ben's lying about his mental health.

[@andrewmbogoh1136]

Getting almost anything done in life needs one to get their mental/mind right. That's more mental fortitude than mental health. Ben Simmons wanted to keep getting paid while not putting in work.

[@nitrofast16]

Everytime I try to watch first take Its a random person on the set or somebody from another show. I miss the consistency

[@user-fq4oq9qv7b]

So what if Ben's lying, like literally everybody lies about sickness of varying severities to get out of work but just because it's ben and mental health we have a problem?

[@justmezkut10up]

If he lied to keep his money, good for him. The owners been doing it for years.😅

[@MOE__]

I hope Ben Simmons plays vs the sixers so I can see him get boo’d out the building

[@YourJamaicanChief]

My Brooklyn nets will come out with a W so boo all you want

[@datsapaddlin]

@@YourJamaicanChief Ben may retire after though

[@phlbnr]

@@YourJamaicanChief doubtful

[@1anth]

@@phlbnr sizers losing regardless

[@phlbnr]

@@1anth nah you're delusional

[@antoniojuarez6949]

At some point, either the sixers or Ben Simmons will have to deal with this situation when the postseason starts, both teams we'll be the conversation if the entire playoffs. Very important.

[@Maxjuliann]

This is why people don’t take mental health serious because people throw it around so loosely .

[@Batz130]

Stephen A really has a hard on for Kyrie. Somehow he found a way to bring him up. 😂😂😂

[@joeljohnson6137]

But he defeated Jay with it lol

[@Batz130]

@@joeljohnson6137 How did he defeat J? I don't see the correlation between Kyrie's decision and Ben's. Sounds like a false equivalence to me 🤔

[@malikrevis6896]

Stephan A is crazy basically sayin Ben is lying without saying it. U can’t just assume somebody’s lying because u don’t like the way he handled it. Stephan A is crazy wit his hypocrisy

[@papacinoooo]

i have dealt with so many people who love to use the mental health issues just to get away of something. very irresponsible, makes it even worse when celebrities use it to sell their "products". i used to be a victim of mental illness and im super angry everytime i see these famous people use it as their protection,super naive and thoughtless. what SAS just said, i couldnt agree more

[@timmyspencer]

Malik did you even heard the points the man said

[@malikrevis6896]

@@papacinoooo there’s a difference between someone doing it to sell a product and someone doing it because they’re forced to do a certain thing

[@koshyjeffrey57]

I’m sure Ben was not happy. That is not the same as mental health. Mental health can be diagnosed and leads to therapy or medication. Being unhappy is what most people feel at jobs they aren’t happy at

[@prosports7908]

he gonna start after the all star break is real question.

[@tomek6132]

People act like changing your situation can't affect your mental health. Leaving a toxic situation could really help him get to a point where he's able to play.

[@Itakotsu]

Agree everybody deserves a fresh start

[@CurtisandElena]

True

[@zayyylit6072]

At 5:17, look at SAS face 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Jay lowkey throwing shots at SAS, he talking about him 🤣🤣🤣

[@niteporter]

I live and from 20 minutes away from Philadelphia. It's a tough place to play in. He's a choke artist. If you play tough they'll love you. I'm a Die Hard sixers fan I'm glad he's gone.

[@mozthegoat9237]

I partially believe Ben Simmons. Isn’t being turmoiled by fans, reporters and a whole organization turning against you enough to make someone have a mental breakdown and affect his or her’s decision making? I think it goes without saying that Simmons was under a lot of pressure and he just couldn’t take it. Everyone handles stress differently. However, I feel like the 76ers’ organization and fans is why he wanted to be traded. It’s rough in Philly. He tried to mask the fact that the environment wasn’t a product of the decision. An individual’s environment directly affects their mentality.

[@sometimesposting6779]

I might actually start enjoying this show again if Mad Dog was on it

[@FaceFamous]

Every Wednesday

[@erablaktv]

I don't care who's lying as long as Ben is ready right after all ⭐ break.if he doesn't make it back untill the Philly game then he may be telling the truth.but overall I don't care I just want to see better competition and basketball.

[@theg0dfather651]

This dude voice is legendary

[@michaelcampbell6438]

How many jobs are out there where you can sign a binding mult-million dollar contract to do something and STILL GET PAID when you feel stressed and don’t want to show up almost all year because of you’re mental health/ fortitude.

[@saynomoredontask6077]

It doesnt matter ben wanted out and maybe he was dealing with me talk issues or maybe he wasn't. How is Stephen a acting all superior when he went behind maxs back and pushed him lmao I'd rather trust Ben than sas who has shown to be a hypocritical man

[@aalviaahmed1900]

Stephen A comparing kyrie being upfront about not taking a shot with Ben Simmons mental health issue just shows you how people really don’t understand mental health works

[@allaboutaw8047]

Ppl that actually struggle with mental health issues would not question another person issues. Someone cannot opinionatedly justify/question bc we all aren’t affected the same way

[@raretrick]

Thanks doctor

[@Slapyomama88]

Molly: Presents one side of the argument Also Molly: My job is to present both sides.

[@liquidjackson7172]

Exactly lol

[@JackFury]

One thing that has become abundantly clear is a lot of people are extremely ignorant on mental health And fans are childish. Stuck in their fandom pretending there was ever a situation where they wouldn't attack simmons

[@jeremiahwilliams5747]

You can be honest without being open and I know from experience.

[@spandsbab]

I remembered a song "Ben you always lyin, you always lyin, omg why effing lyin"

[@Bnathanb1982]

I love how y'all chastised Ben Simmons for what he did but are completely okay with James Harden playing like s*** on every team he wants to get out of just to get traded. That's just as bad if not worse than what Ben Simmons did

[@abezzzy121]

Not even on the same planet. James wanted out because he wants to WIN and didn't want to be a part of a rebuild in Houston after committing to almost a decade there or that dysfunction up in Brooklyn. James didn't handle it well, but the motivation is different. Ben folded over criticism. You know how much James harden has been flamed in the past because of his playoff failures? Or how a 7 min compilation video was not only circulated on KZbin but major sports networks clowning him for his defense. These situations are night and day. The Ben enabling gotta stop, that's why he's in the position he's in today

[@Realest1ne]

Difference is, James isn’t using “mental health” as an excuse.

[@papacinoooo]

@@Realest1ne this!

[@connorrowles708]

No where near the same thing. yes James harden stopped caring, but he was still part of the team and would still suit up. Ben is using a very serious issue to his advantage to get what he wants.

[@Bnathanb1982]

@@abezzzy121 Enabling Simmons? You just made about 10 different excuses on why what Harden did has been justified LOL...End of the day, Harden QUIT on 2 teams in 2 years because things weren't going his way. When you make a commitment to a team, it's not just if the team is winning....They might as well get rid of contracts in the NBA b/c these players see now that they can just quit on their team, claim mental health, etc until they get traded. It's beyond ridiculous anymore. Bottom line is Simmons claimed mental health(which NOBODY can confirm or deny but himself) b/c he didn't want to play anymore in Philly...Harden just quit playing b/c he gave up on the Nets halfway thru the season....BOTH players got traded b/c they weren't doing anything more for their team. So you can't sit there and say well the way Harden did it is ok, but the way Simmons did it isn't ok.....

[@lboogie8118]

Molly your job is to moderate not give both sides, please just let her go

[@shortie9103]

Sometimes we should have more of a conversation instead of a debate

[@YOLOKING901]

At this point it don’t matter who is lying or telling the truth both teams got who they wanted so let’s play ball! 🏀🏆💯

[@TWOB1GUNZ]

Stephen A how about you mind your business and stop trying to play both sides. If homie is sick and said he's sick then leave it at that! Stop counting his money

[@priztucker]

Give the kid a break. Everybody in the organization turned their backs on him and it messed him up. There was no going back after your coach throws you under the bus and never came to visit you in the summer to patch things up.

[@erikdayne5429]

Or, he could work on his jump shot like every other player

[@toufuevang4440]

Maybe his break shouldve been unpaid

[@priztucker]

@@erikdayne5429 They gave him 40Ms without a jumpshot. They enabled him and created a monster. There was no going back acter the public backstabbing

[@jamiethomas5849]

I hate it when people feel like they cornered the market on depression. You don’t get to call bs on anybody else’s claim of mental health issues unless you’re prepared to have people call bs on yours

[@herringstheseries]

5:55 “It was at this moment… he knew he f*cked up.”

[@pimpnamedslickback7780]

Bruh who cares. How many times are yall going to talk about this? Talk about the game last night. Enough already

[@SportGuyDMV]

I can sympathize for people with mental health. But Ben Simmons is soft. He was fine the whole time. Sure I can believe things got hard but as it pertains to basketball he's just soft

[@bigchillin4216]

People go through things for various reasons in various ways. For some they may be ok with sharing if they're comfortable, for others that may cause them to feel anxious or vulnerable. ALL of this is about empathy and respect. Think about it, if you can be "normal" and then all of sudden feel the need to off yourself the next day, what makes people think the opposite can't be true? Giving yourself a different environment is proven to be an effective way to begin the healing process often times. People just REFUSE to show grace and empathy. It's not that they can't, it's just against their nature to do so. Mental health is real and people still associate it with the stigma of being crazy, insane, etc and belittle it which is wild to me. If you're not happy, or not yourself, or not growing how you want to, and it's affecting your temperament or mood and you can see/feel that, maybe it's time for you take a step back and reevaluate what you have going on and what you have surrounding you. People make up their own narratives though because they don't understand the concept of showing grace, empathy, and kindness without receiving anything in return.

[@almac9203]

@@bigchillin4216 he faked a back injury and wasn't even injured according to team doctors just before the mental health. Dude is a scumbag wanting to get paid whilst on strike. I am a Nets supporter but this guy is a fraud.

[@NewAgeChipSkylark]

@@bigchillin4216 people should show him grace empathy/kindness and metal health is 100 percent real i agree. But the fact of the matter is he signed a contract to play basketball with the city of philly. No one made him do that millions of people hate their job for whatever reason but must go to work to support themselves, they are not blessed to be in his situation. People who have those gripes are in the same boat as ben so it is more than fair for them to question the validity of his mental health. You can show empathy and support while also being critical of someone's actions. Do you not think it is suspicious that he cited a back injury as to why he couldn't play and upon being evaluated and deemed fit to play he cited mental health issues to so he isn't able to play and get payed? One of the worst things we can do is use mental health issues as a pass to get out of things when that is not the case. That only belittles the countless people who legit go through that battle everyday.

[@yeahthatsher]

I don't think anyone who hasn't seem his medical records should be speaking on what they think the real situation is. I lie about my mental issues when I want people to leave me alone or don't feel like talking about it anymore. People are exhausting.

[@kevothegoat9891]

This why we can never go far as a society when it comes to mental health we got people questioning if he’s lying smh