Stephen A. Smith believes Kyrie Irving is “one of the most selfish” players in the NBA.
That said, the ESPN talking head thinks the Nets’ starting point guard doesn’t hold a candle to Ben Simmons in the self-centered department.
Smith took aim at Simmons on Sunday shortly after news broke that the three-time All-Star won’t play Monday night against the Celtics. Initial reports indicated the plan was for Simmons to make his long-awaited Brooklyn debut in Game 4 at Barclays Center.
After 17 hours of stewing on the latest Simmons development, Smith finally had a chance to launch harpoons at the 25-year-old during the latest episode of “First Take.” The veteran pundit took Simmons to task over the course of a five-minute diatribe in which he attached a harsh label to the polarizing point guard.
“Nobody is worse than Ben Simmons,” Smith said. “Ben Simmons might also be the weakest, most pathetic excuse for a professional athlete we have ever seen not just in American history, but the history of sports. I can’t think of a professional athlete that has come across more pathetic than this man.”
Smith didn’t stop there. The “First Take” co-host went on to express how the Philadelphia 76ers “hosed” the Nets in the Simmons-James Harden trade and that Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul needs to drop Simmons from his client roster.
Simmons is too young and talented to completely give up on as an impactful NBA player. But in wake of events dating back to last summer, it’s tough to have much optimism about the No. 1 overall pick in 2016.
