Before even stepping on an NBA court, Ben Simmons was already hailed as a generational talent. Praise came from many respected voices in basketball, including Shaquille O'Neal, as seen in statements the Hall of Famer made in September 2016.
At the time, O'Neal discussed the latest NBA draft class , which included guys like Brandon Ingram , Jamal Murray and Jaylen Brown . Some of them, O'Neal said, weren't really on his radar — one, however, absolutely was: Simmons, who received high praise from the big man icon.
Basketball is a team game, so having at least one player on the court who can make everyone better is every coach's dream.
O'Neal spent 19 years in the league and, during his stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers , had played alongside exactly that kind of player: LeBron James , the prime example of elevating teammates game after game.
Shaq had also watched Ben dominate in his lone season at LSU, and for him, it felt almost like déjà vu — both the 6'9" forward and the 6'10" point guard shared an uncanny similarity in one key aspect.
As O'Neal explained, Simmons displayed traits similar to James 's, who "does a nice job of making everybody else around him better — passing the ball, doing the small things."
"Ben is that type of player," Shaq confidently added .
While "Simmo the Savage" deservedly received plenty of praise at the time, it should be noted that he and Diesel share a special connection: both are LSU alumni, a bond that often makes praise come a little easier. It also makes it easier to overlook criticism, as Shaq did with the 2016 SEC Freshman of the Year, who occasionally struggled to assert authority on the court.
"He (Simmons) took a lot of flak (sic), especially at LSU with not really taking over games," O'Neal said. "But he's young. He'll get to that. When it comes to other aspects of the game, he's very, very intelligent. He plays the game very well."
O'Neal certainly had a lot of faith in the left-handed point guard, and the Philadelphia 76ers front office shared that confidence, selecting Simmons with the first overall pick that year.
Since then, many years have passed, and with each season, Shaq's comparison seems to fade further. While Ben might have possessed — and perhaps still does — that rare ability to elevate teammates, he simply hasn't shown it consistently or at a high level in recent years. The fact that Simmons is unable to do so at 29, an age typically considered a player's prime, is regrettable, to say the least.
Meanwhile, James, at 40, is at the tail end of the age when an NBA player can dominate. Yet despite the clear gap in age and mileage compared to Simmons, only the Los Angeles Lakers star continues to make "everybody else around him better."
Ultimately, Bron is poised to enter a record 24th NBA season, while Ben remains unsigned. Reports indicate that unless the three-time All-Star, 2017 Rookie of the Year and 2020 steals leader accepts a minimum contract, he could face real challenges finding a team after his last few disappointing stints.
In the end, it's an unfortunate turn for a player once widely regarded as a generational talent — one that O'Neal believed could change the game for those around him.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
