Now that Ben Simmons
' NBA return is a reality, it has reignited questions about his fit. Especially after he let that one infamous game against Trae Young
mar his career. But among a sea of skeptics, one former league champion is rooting for him. Richard Jefferson
went as far as making a shocking projection regarding the Aussie star's upcoming season. Speaking on The Aussie Hoops Hour
podcast, Jefferson claimed that the Australian still possesses the raw ability to earn All-Star honors with the Sacramento Kings
. Unfortunately, his attempt to remove fans' expectations is having the opposite effect.
The podcast host set the scene by recalling Ben Simmons'
massive physical profile, calling him "huge" at 6-foot-10 and noting that he looked athletically sharp in recent workouts. Simmons trained with the Australian national team to get back into NBA shape this summer.
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When asked what expectations fans should hold after Simmons took a year away from the sport following recurring back issues, Jefferson urged listeners to evaluate the situation on the mental grit Simmons is showing rather than statistically.
"I think you should have no expectations," Jefferson stated
. "Not of his playing. But basketball, like many other sports, as much as it is physical, it is mental. Ben's always had the talent. Ben has the talent to be an All-Star this year ."
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Jefferson expanded on his stance, asserting that a fully recovered Simmons could easily regain his reputation as one of the league's most versatile defenders. "If Ben goes and has the best season, he's healthy, his back is right, he has the talent to be an All-Defensive player, to be a Defensive Player of the Year level talent because he can guard one through five positions, and then just his ability to play," Jefferson explained.
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However, the ESPN analyst made sure to note that physical recovery is only half the battle. "For Ben, there's a mental aspect that is a big part of the game. And so for me, I think some of his struggles were physical, some of them were becoming mental," Jefferson shared.
"And I root for every player. I want Ben to get back to the love and joy that he has for the game, because that lowers the mental stress. If you can go out there and be like, whether 'I don't care if I'm 2-for-10 from the free throw line, or if I'm 5-for-6, like I love the game and I love to be out there.' And for that, I hope more than anything that Ben finds the joy in the game, but also is healthy to have that joy."
RJ's high praise contrasts heavily with the cautious approach the Sacramento Kings have taken with the three-time All-Star. Simmons signed a non-guaranteed, one-year deal worth up to $3.5 million with the Kings. He will earn just $1 million if he makes the opening-night roster, meaning he must first prove himself during training camp
to secure a permanent spot.
The 30-year-old playmaker has apparently regained his confidence and has even been shooting perimeter jumpers in live-action practice without overthinking the outcome. But fans are full of skepticism.
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Social media tempered about Ben Simmons' All-Star prediction
The contrast between Richard Jefferson's
optimistic claim and Ben Simmons' low-risk contract immediately ignited intense debate across social media, where fans wasted no time tearing down or questioning the ESPN analyst's hot take.
Skeptical supporters questioned whether Simmons could ever overcome his well-documented offensive hesitation, with one fan stating, "I've always been a Ben stan, always believed he had what it takes to get back to his best. But this man is scared to shoot the basketball; he's going to average at best 8ppg next season."
Others took a more measured, albeit doubtful stance toward the optimistic prediction. "I want this man to succeed but this is a lil much ????"
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Many fans dismissed the All-Star prediction as outright delusion given his extensive injury history and single-year absence. "If Ben Simmons is even playing at the All-Star break it will be astonishing! GTFOH, RJ????????????"
The mockery quickly turned toward Jefferson himself, with critics claiming he made the hot take simply to draw attention to his media appearance, writing, "Richard doesn't like how nobody has referenced any of his takes, so he comes hard with this one LMAO."
The cynicism reached conspiracy-peddling levels too. "Does Richard Jefferson also believe Antarctica is a gateway to a subterranean world of mole people?"
Yet amid the heavy backlash, a small contingent of optimistic fans defended Jefferson's underlying point about Simmons' elite baseline abilities, noting, "Health will be the key, but his playmaking and defense could absolutely put him back in that conversation"
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