Ben Simmons Divulges On How Shooting Criticism Messed With His Head

Simmons' shooting has been criticized for years.

BYAlexander Cole
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Ben Simmons is a player who has always been criticized by sports media, especially when it comes to his jump shot. On numerous occasions, Simmons has been theorized to be "a jump shot away from being the next LeBron James." After a few years in the league, it is now clear to everyone that this is simply not the case, although it would still be nice if he could get some confidence when it comes to shooting the basketball.

As many already know, Simmons was a guest on JJ Redick's "The Old Man And The Three," where he discussed his problems with shooting the ball. At the 24:42 mark down below, Simmons told Redick that the criticism of his shot has confused him at times, and it has messed with his head. Simply put, Simmons doesn't really know when to shoot the ball because everyone has told him that his shot sucks.

Ben Simmons Divulges On How Shooting Criticism Messed With His Head
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Simmons went on to say that he is more comfortable now and that he realizes he needs to take shots. Moving forward, Simmons wants to play a lot looser with less weight hanging over his head.

"I didn't really realize that early on in my career because this started building up and I'm like, 'They're saying I can't. Should I not? I'm f--king confused now,'" Simmons said. "... It did f--k with me a lot. But I kind of found peace in a place where I'm just like f--k it, it's basketball."

Simmons will be able to show off his jump shot with the Nets this season. Hopefully, he can finally prove all of his doubters wrong.


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About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the "Beluga 2.0" colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it. When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven't won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime. Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.