Enraged Shaquille O'Neal Voices His Opinion on Ben Simmons and New Age NBA Stars: 'That s**t will never happen'

Entering Shaquille O'Neal's good books is not an easy task for every player out there. From Dwight Howard to Rudy Gobert, every young player of the current generation has faced the wrath of Shaq's scathing criticism one way or the other. Shaq's career stats and achievements allows him to have a say on which players he thinks can be good at their game and quite legitimately, he is allowed to do so given his accomplishments. Wearing a jersey or getting drafted to the NBA isn't enough, players need to prove they are ‘G-14 classified’ to earn flowers from the Big Aristotle.

The most recent player to face the heat from Shaq is Ben Simmons. Entering the NBA from college, Simmons was one of the most touted prospect, expected to reach the greatest heights in the league. This proposition even seemed apparent when Simmons was the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft and went on to win the Rookie of the Year in 2017. However, it seems Simmons is nothing more than just a shell of his previous self today.

Shaq always has a thing or two to say about the current generation of players. He shares his thoughts on whatever he sees on the hardwood lately through his takes on Inside The NBA or on The Big Podcast. In a recent episode, the Big Man sat with his co-host Roy Wood Jr. to discuss how the league isn't as it used to be back in his day and age. While discussing topics around rule changes to the evolution of player longevity, O'Neal expressed his disgruntlement on why he believes the league has grown softer and less competitive now. And, who else but Ben Simmons could be the perfect example for Shaq to describe this phenomenon?

Shaq on Ben Simmons: Why is the 4x NBA Champion lashing out on the former ROTY?

If you are expecting a lukewarm take from Shaq on Ben Simmons, that's hardly the case. Shaquille O'Neal will never hesitate from going all-out about his criticism for players and Ben Simmons gets no leeway in that regard. Shaq believes the league at this juncture is soft and less competitive, delivering “s**t” product. While he does not blame players entirely for this, he is skeptical to show respect for some because they put on an NBA jersey. On his The Big Podcast, Shaq said,

While Shaq was on that conversation, he was asked about his view on players that didn't live up to their build-up hype or their massive paychecks. A pertinent name in this conversation has always been Ben Simmons and Shaq had his two cents on the former No.1 pick as well. Questioning the former ROTY's contract, Shaq remarked,

Ben Simmons' journey so far in the NBA has not been the most pleasant. Despite three All-Star nods and a Rookie of the Year title under his belt, Simmons' trajectory was rather disappointing than most had expected. Ravaging injuries and struggles to stay healthy made him sit out the entirety of the 2021-22 season, all while he had signed a $170 million extension with the Philadelphia 76ers. Since then, Simmons bounced from Sixers to the Brooklyn Nets and now has been trying to fit in with the Los Angeles Clippers' roster.

Frankly speaking, Simmons seems to be showing some glimpses of his peak playing in LA. Speaking about his move to the Clippers, Simmons said, “I never really felt like New York was home for me. Being in LA, I feel like me as a person, it's my kind of scenery or environment.”

Simmons is currently averaging a measly 5.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game. Though Simmons is trying to get back to his rhythm, that isn't enough for Shaq. The effort, for the Big Aristotle, would count only when numbers and performance testify the same.