"Ben Simmons Is The Antithesis of Everything Allen Iverson Personified" | Stephen A. Smith
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 4 июн 2024
- Stephen A. Smith talks about the relationship the city of Philadelphia has with Allen Iverson (The Philadelphia 76ers), which he believes also explains why they dislike Ben Simmons (The Brooklyn Nets) so much.
Subscribe to The Old Man and The Three podcast w/ JJ Redick (ESPN / First Take) and Tommy Alter for more NBA player interview highlights and NBA Finals analysis. 
Спорт
Having spent several years living in Philadelphia, I can fully agree with everything SAS spoke in this video. Allen Iverson answered the challenges, no matter how insurmountable it seemed, with all his effort and that effort was seen through the eyes of not just Philly fans but basketball fans in general.
And that's why he's so revered - a small man in a world dominated by giants but still left as big of an impact, if not more, than those giants. Even to the point where some of those giants had to begrudgingly accept that the littlest man on the court had the biggest heart out of everyone.
i really felt what you wrote, thanks ricardo milos
That's all we ever ask for here : that you at least try your best. Guys like Ben and Carson gave up on us not the other way around. We said get them out of here only after they made it known they wanted out first...
Ask yourself, why would we give each of them a max contract if we wanted them out? (rhetorical question)
That's why he's called 'the answer'
Amen! As a lifelong Philly fan, I can 100% agree with this! We absolutely loved Ben and Carson! It wasn’t until they started to actually show us that they didn’t care, didn’t have any motivation to be the best, to always try to be great , that we gave up on them. To us fans, it feels as if they turned their backs on us. True Philly players and legends have always tried to be the best at what they do and show that grit that Philly is all about!!!
AI is a G. Ben is not.
Comparing Ben Simmons to AI reminds me of that good old saying “Not the size of the dog in the fight. Its about the size of the fight in the dog”
You corny AF😂
@Austin Vincent Osogo ?
Allen Iverson was The Answer. Ben Simmons is The Question Mark.
Stealing punch lines from Eminem bro or what
@@madbutcher9158 Eminem did not create this saying. Its an old adage, been around for generations...Read a book, kid.
The way SAS articulates his words and structures them is actually crazy
its unbelievable bro, " dollars and cents doesnt have something to do with everything but dammit if aint everything its most things " i played that like 5 times
There's a reason he's been on ESPN that long. Basically grew up with him having one show or another most of the time
ruclips.net/video/57cT5FLhaNA/видео.html
A reminder that Philly had just such a player in Jimmy Buckets and let him walk.
They offered him more money than Miami
@@fourtwenty1813 they offered him more money for a sign-and-trade. But they chose to keep Tobias Harris instead of Jimmy Butler.
TOBIAS HARRIS OVER ME?!
@@gavinweltmer4091 “TOBIAS HARRIS OVER ME?!”
A reminder that the fans didn’t get to make that decision…crybaby Ben and the nonsense Brett Brown convinced the GM to make that move
Damn listening to Stephen A without the (entertaining) hysterics hits different.
Real talk. Him actually talking and giving his opinion and view is awesome
If you haven't already, check out his interview on the Pivot podcast.
Fact
Kobe said everyone was lucky that AI wasn’t 6’5 he said it would have been a wrap
Hard to keep that same quickness and athleticism for every inch you grow. But he's correct... even if he lost 25% of his ability being 6'5. He would be at Kobe's level or better.
@@powerman2610 pretty Sure Mike was that quick and more athletic when he was 21 … and he’s 6’6
@@grichkatayou7558 there’s a reason he’s too 2
@@grichkatayou7558 Mike is different. 48 in vertical at 6’6 with his speed and acceleration. There is a reason he is Air Jordan. Typically gaining height means getting slower. There are anomalies obviously
@@grichkatayou7558 That's kinda moot, it's like saying if MJ is 7 ft tall he would be like a better Shaq or wilt. The relativity is not linear. If AI was to be at 6'5 6'6, his style of playing would change and he won't be playing like how he used to do the quick cross over etc. , instead he will be backing down in the post like Jordan or Kobe
Good to hear people finally saying the truth about Ben Simmons
finally?
finally? lol theyve been trashing him for years now
@@yn8864 years??? really
Bro people been trashing him for year and half. Not all justified imo. People just can’t wait to find a reason to trash athletes.
@@ethermac9015 he was getting trashed before the Hawks series. When they lost to the Raptors I saw Philly fans blaming him and his shooting specifically
I write for a living in the media world and man, just listening to Stephen A has legit made me a better writer. The way he structures his thoughts and arguments and stories is next level. Top tier pro when he’s in an environment like this one.
I feel like here he doesn’t have to act like a character which helps.
Six minutes of straight facts from Stephen A. Appreciate this interview.
His usage rate was crazy too he played 40 mins all 82 games
That's not what usage rate is, but sure
@@maxdurk4624 his usage rate was crazy high tho
@@maxdurk4624 pretty sure his usage rate was in mid 30% so yes it was high
@@sickopain2474 I know that, but the minutes you play has nothing to do with usage rate
@@maxdurk4624 His usage rate was still crazy and considering the only thing Philly ever really gave him was defensive players and rebounders. He literally carried that franchise on his back.
Stephen A. made a good point there “Its most of us”. Its true, social media might be one of the worst social norms in modern history.
This is also the reason Philly loved Jimmy Butler so much in such a short time. There's a pit bull mentality. If NYC is about the glitz & the glamor, Philly is about embracing the glitz & the grime.
Once Joel started saying that "trust the process" gimmick when noone had any reason to believe in this overweight & injured dude who didn't even play his first 2 years, and then he delivered on that process.. He was made for Philly as well.
The biggest mistake Philly did was let go of Jimmy. Embiid and Jimmy complemented eachother so well
A fact
@@danielcancel2901 imagine Embiid, Jimmy Buckets and Maxey as its core players. That would have been deadly.
Facts bro imagine how good we'd be with Joel and Jimmy and possibly James that'd be a HUGE BIG 3 play well of each other and James got another elite ball handler/playmaker which is something the sixers desperately need
@@michaelgear5707 James Harden is not Philly at all
AI never quit, never sat out, played hurt, and gave a million percent every time he stepped on the court. Ben Simmons is like the bizzaro AI
Ben Simmons had all the tools but no heart
Stephen A's public speaking skills are off the chart. Such a great and a smart speaker. Senegal, West Africa.
Title of this video is the most savage dig at Ben Simmons I have yet to see. To literally call him the opposite of everything AI was and stood for 😂 That’s just next level criticism right there
All facts too
But I love it 😈
Ben should be ashamed of himself but he's not because he has no heart
The parallel between Iverson and the city Of Philly was brilliant 👏 👍 People don't give Stephen A. Smith his due man 💯💪👍
Facts I was like wow he really gets us ...
@@keepitareal2159 For all it's roughness, blemishes and seeming hostility, it's undeniable that Philly has heart. Just like Iverson.
As a life long cowboy fan and dallas fan. I rooted for phily and Iverson. Dude always played wih heart and kept playing injured. People want to say kyrie better nah not even close. Couldn't imagine Iverson in this era with this much spacing. Dirk too
Yup, AI could carry a team, dude could dunk, kyrie is nowhere near AI.
Did you know that Iverson is a Dallas Cowboys fan?🙂
@@Py-dr2fv AI would dunk on big men.
Stephen A. has always been at his best when discussing A.I.
The way he broke down Allen Iverson vs Ben Simmons was crazy! WOW! I never thought about it like that. But it makes so much sense.
Put AI’s spirit in Simmons’ body and you’d have a top 5 player ALL-TIME. No question.
You mean a goat. Ben is 6’11, if he had AI spirit he’d be Bron or Giannis (and I’m a simmons fan too 🤦🏾♂️)
@@timmynguyen4758 Facts
Bruh you just described the best player of all time. A 6’11 Allen Iverson???? Not even fair lol
You could put jesus christ in Simmoms body that jumper still gonna be broke
@@joetheGod13 ?? he didn't say AIs skillset just his spirit. basically giannis tbh
Antithesis… 🤔 Thank you again for the vocab upgrade Stephen A 🤝🏾
Hit that google on that word
You never gone to school? How you not hear that before
I swear he taught me the words egregious and ineptitude 😂
@@GOKUKAMEHAMHA1 the last one’s a bit ironic don’t you think?
You dumb as hell. Read a book you bum.
bringing stephen A as a guest was such a great call
Allen Iverson and JJ Redick were my two favorite basketball players of all-time. Remember seeing Stephen A Smith on The Awnser documentary long before he was on ESPN
JJ Redick? damn bro, you gotta set your sights higher than this dud.
the philly underdog sentiment did not start with AI, it started with the movie Rocky and then continued, for crying out loud, they played video of the movie every game. AI fit right in, undersized, he was a warrior, inch for inch and pound for pound, the best in the league.
I think that's part of what frustrated them so much with Simmons, is there you have a guy with no excuse not to succeed, and they feel that he squandered that talent and ran from the stage (not saying that's correct, but that's definitely how a good part of the fan base feels about it)
Actually it started with Joe Frazier, who Rocky was based off of, but Philly would rather embrace a fictional character because he wasn’t Black.
Yea n Rocky ain't bout nothing but Philly boxers.
@@johnnyblingg Exactly Joe Frazier.
@@ForceOfWill100 but that is correct. Any back/body issues Ben has had time to correct. Mental issues mentioned so far are demons to overcome, just like anyone else
the last half of the video was some of the best social commentary i’ve heard or read in a long time.
"coward" is the key word here.. You cannot be scared IN GAME 7 to dunk a basketball in the clutch with Dr J and AI sitting courtside..
That is totally unacceptable to this fan base.. You can't play here if you gonna be scared.. You just cant.
We dont understand cowards... You cant be here.. you gotta get out
lebron was mentally defeated against dallas. jordan the goat passed up a wide open shot to clinch the game in an important playoff game.. you guys think athletes are robots who don’t have moments of doubt
With Trae Young in the paint waiting for Ben to get the And1 lmao
Lol well yal got another coward in James Harden..should be the Jimmy & Joel show in Philly... could even be Tatum and Joel damn I'm getting sad thinking about it
@@braxtonandrews4047 Harden aint a coward.. It just feels like he doesnt care enough to up his game when it counts (which is gonna become a huge problem between him and the fans next year)
But, t least he shoots it and can hit free throws.. At least he commands attention from a defense..
Im concerned about Harden going forward, but I still make the trade all over again if he had to do it over because Ben Simmons is totally unacceptable.. He didnt even play for the nets lol.. Like WTF is wrong with him??
No way.. Ben Simmons is unacceptable
@@MrRasheed7 I agree about Ben, and I guess it takes James harden off the Nets I just think they rushed it be honest I think they could've found a better trade if GM wasnt obsessed with Harden
Probably one of the truest things from start to finish Stephen A had ever said. Especially when
Speaking on philly, Iverson and philly
Need more Stephan A like this! Great take
ruclips.net/video/57cT5FLhaNA/видео.html
And he was only in DC for 2 years in college at Georgetown and he's as popular and beloved as almost any former Hoya.
Missed a golden opportunity to misquote the title:
Stephen A Smith: "Ben Simmons is a coward."
🤣🤣🤣🤣
stephen A really went poetic on this one. When he's calmer the man can really speak
The first time in the past 2 years that I actually liked something Stephen A has said. Didn’t see that coming
I’m sure he cares!!! Just like I do!!🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️
@@EricK-ir8np lol you cared enough to comment though. Sorry that Stephen A is normally straight garbage and you need to hop on for him
All b.s. aside, even though he’s a joke most of the time, Stephen A. Smith is someone who knows his basketball. When asked who his favorite player was when he was a kid, without hesitating said "Down-Town Freddie Brown." Only a devoted and genuine basketball fan would ever give that answer. I really believe that.
@@ChrisTheElectrician cry
@@ChrisTheElectrician i always see this typical response "you cared enough to comment" you don't have to care to comment on something. Maybe he just wanted to call you out on your shitty take?
I love Stephen A I don't get why people be so sensitive over his takes ...I enjoy them..I have an uncle that acts just like him 😂
A.I. is my favourite player and for me the GOAT, I had so much fun watchin' him alongside Kobe, T-Mac and many others who carried the league after MJ was gone. A.I. was a game changer and culture of the NBA.
I love this description of my hometown. SAS nailed it here.
5:56 ouuuuuuu i love this one right here this is to everyday life
I love how Stephen A. is sitting in a taller chair. So they have to look up at him. That’s so petty. 😂😂😂 There’s even a chair behind him that looks more comfortable…
He was sitting in that lower chair for the first 20 minutes of the podcast, but said he was uncomfortable so he got on the taller chair and JJ made that same joke you did lol
He got bad knees 🤣🤣
Even on first take they have somewhat tall chairs
Best episode ever
If AI was 5 or 6 inches taller he'd probably be arguably considered the 2nd best player of all time behind Jordan. He was listed at 6 feet but I think he was closer to 5'10. Without Iverson Stephen A is still a beat writer for the Philly Inquirer. He owes alot to AI.
Wouldnt be as nimble or agile if he was taller which is one of his best aspects, he definitely got the best out of what he had.
lmaoo so couple more inches and now he's better than lebron, kobe, shaq, tim.....stop it
@@db2921 Yeah. He would literally be MJ that can jump higher, is faster, with a better handle but probably wouldn't get 6 though because 2000's comp was more stacked than 90's not to say 90's wasn't good just not as stacked as the 2000's.
If he was 6’3 he would have been better than Dwayne wade hands down
@Saylor Green assuming he means he grows whilst in the league
This the most I’ve seen his co- host smile, he really respects Stephen A
Dam JJ you got the best of SAS he was really droppin jewels on this one that was really good..
SAS ... a treasure of knowledge... so different though from his First take persona ... gotta give credit to JJ Redick for these bits of interview
I absolutely love this show! GG, keep it up JJ! 🏀🔥
What a great quote
Well said
what you did with the headline here is soooooo funny considering the conversation lmfao
I’m from Philly-Stephen A is off base. We don’t believe Simmons is a coward.
We know he’s a coward.
Hahaha
Can’t put Ben in the same sentence as AI
you can if you’re contrasting them
Dude doesn't know what antithesis means
Read a dictionary bro
Agreed.
@@zombievikinggaming4258 imma be honest I didn’t know what antithesis meant either but I actually watched the video 😂 so common sense made me understand…probably should go back to elementary school and learn to use context clues or actually watch the video before you comment 😂😭
Damn SAS that Allen Iverson is what Philly was all about, you damn sure right. He didn’t give af about what nobody thought about him same way we rock as a city
damn... that was one of SA Smith's best responses, that I've ever heard.
Well said Stephen A. And was easy to listen as was not yelling... 👏👏👏👏
I normally don't like when Stephen A talks Basketball ball but the man made a good point today
Nice to wacht Smith out of the wwe character he plays at firts take , he really make some good valid points 👌, points on the last part of this clip .
100% accurate take
We went from Allen Iverson to Ben Simmons…and people are mad at Philly fans for the Ben Simmons slander? He gave 0 effort compared to Iverson, an absolute WARRIOR.
Who is mad at you guys though? I’m not a Philadelphia fan (Mavs fan) but what Ben Simmons has done over the past year I’ve felt insulted as a fan of the sport. The disappearance, refusal to work on the game, entitled statements etc. Some people are arrogant, some are cowardly. I can put up with one or the other. But to be BOTH? That’s a downright radioactive individual. I can’t hate Philly fans anymore after they had to put up with this travesty.
Great point by Stephen A for once here at the end. I think u mistake how many watch the subject at hand though. You dont need clickbait.
So glad I grew up with A.I in the NBA.
That was a beautiful speech
Steven A . speaks the truth, he knows Philly , Being from Philly ,A I embodies everything we Philidelphiens stand for.
Work ethic and a chip on our shoulder.
Always give your best anything else is unacceptable.
Wow great analysis why PHI loves AI so much.
I hope that young man Ben Simmons come back to destroy all of us that threw him under the bus. He has the skills to do so. He is an All-star after all.
He’s 26
That a HOT take in any context. Stephen A goin crazy
I can see now why every single athlete HATES the media.
That’s why we love AI so much in Philly. ❤️
Well said, Stephen A.
People might not know, but Philly is also a top 3 skateboarding city. The influence on skating that the dudes from love park gave is still relevant today
SAS had a great soliloquy there at the end.
Lol this video did exactly what they were talking about at the end
People forget that AI was just as big in his prime as Jordan in the US. He just didn't win like Jordan to get the worldwide renoun.
Jordan had an all star team iverson beat an all star team by him self if the finals was one game he would be a champion
Ummm Iverson literally went global, he was a commodity in China.
The difference between AI and MJ (aside from not winning the chip) is that the NBA and the sponsors chose not to push AI because they felt his image was "too street" to be as marketable as MJ's. MJ was seen as the clean cut poster child while AI was typecast as the rebel. The NBA didn't want to make AI a face of the league, but they couldn't bury him either because of his talent. The irony is that's a huge part of his appeal: people love him because he never compromised who he was, even when the league tried to get him to change.
I don't think people realize the impacts of social media, modern technology, etc...., (Celebrity status isn't the same as it was pre 2010) and what they have on modern NBA players- basketball is farther down the list of things of importance to an NBA player than most players would care to admit- Harden, Simmons (to a lesser extent Kyrie) are the big names that we are noticing now that care less but even Kawhi Leonard does not want to play an 82 game season!! The NBA has to accept this and learn to modernize the game!
JJ, thank you for the reasonable title, assuming you manage this directly. I'm increasingly put off by this sort of thing - "Stephen A. Smith says Ben Simmons is DISGUSTING!!"
Every real Sixers fan knows where that Friday's is on City Line Ave.
Damn I haven’t thought of that place in years. Used to stay lit on Long islands there with my classmates from temple
Really can’t have two bigger extremes in a city when it comes to sports
Just cuz you understand something doesn’t mean your not going have a natural reaction ow way u feel about it it’s how we are as people it’s natural everyone different🤦🏾
The older NBA players bash a lot of todays stars but imagine having to be under the social media spotlight being on watch 24/7 like Michael Jordan’s father with the gambling incident imagine the 2022 version could MJ mentally take that not saying he couldn’t but they have to understand these players are under a different light these ones are so much brighter!
Iverson got me to like basketball, as a 12 year old kid I had to have all them iverson sneaks
At the end of the day, by next season, people will look at BS new progress like they see Andrew Wiggins now.
The fact that SAS was such a great player allows him to have this platform and a big chair to boot.
Thank you Stephen A. You know. Philly is a tough town. We dont take slacking easy. After Moses, Doc, Barkley, AI, we just cant put up with Simmons' inability to adjust and work hard.
Stephen a Smith spoke so true about Philly and Iverson ...we always the underdog cause of NYC...all we ask for is to try
That caption is hilarious
You can tell Philidelphia has a special place in Stephen A's heart even though he is a New Yorker through and through.
Not saying Ben Simmons is perfect and couldn't have handled many things better than he has. But jfc, not every player has to be Michael Jordan or Allen Iverson. You can bring value to your team without taking aesthetically pleasing jump shots 30 times a game and pumping your fist in the air and taking everything personally. Draymond Green is a black hole on the offensive end (passed up a layup the other night), and more so than Simmons, and the Warriors are about to win another title. NBA fans are obsessed with these prototypes and it gets toxic. Not to mention dipshit tv pundits feeding into it so they can get ratings and make more money. And this is especially rich coming from Stephen A., the antithesis of a good sports pundit.
Bingo, couldn't have said it any better
Allen Iverson is deadass a the personification of this city. Too much fuckin heart
Sas is a real one when he is serious.
AI is a GOAT because he showed “The Man” that we dont have to play dog and pony if we come into work and do the damn thing.
Yea including not passing the ball
LMAO SAS spoke about getting misquoted as this video misattributed a quote in the clickbait title.
I truly hate Google's ads
AI and Simmons gotta fight. No choice
I don't always agree with SAS but as a Philly Kid born and raised this is 100000% facts. As much as I cheer A.I. is the same as I boo 25. They are polar opposites
To the ones who likes these kinds of post this is for you. I Hope your day, week, even year is a blessed one. Life is to short to hate and be mad at anything. Start reaching out to loved one more because you never know when it’s our last day here. Whatever it is in life you want to do go after it don’t let anyone tell you other wise. Keep on fighting, pushing, and grinding through whatever you are going through hope all is well peace and one love! ✌🏽 🙏🏽
Steven A Smith you got that on the money
Plus the money.... yeah it's hard being a modern day player with social media.. but I'm sure none of the those stars want to trade lifestyles with me... and my life anit bad.
Nothing but 10000% facts by SAS.
Don’t ever put AI and Simmons in the same sentence ever again.
Man sometime I wished philly draft nowitzki instead of larry hughes in 98
Don't feel too bad. George Karl could have had Ray Allen AND Dirk Nowitzki on the Bucks but got Robert "Tractor" Traylor.
Those 2 teams still have the same amount of championship victories since 98 so I guess it was a win-win lmfao
@@mayson9817 Mavs won in 2011. Philly hasn’t won since 1983…
Talking about the Mavs and Bucks
@@spendsshanks6050 still more chips than dallas
Why is SAS's chair so much higher than JJ's?
Philadelphia is the only sports town that has all four major teams actually playing inside the city. They are not in the suburbs. Now, yes, the Union plays in Chester but Chester is not a "suburb".
100 percent agree with SAS on this. Iverson was built for Philly. Ben Simmons ain't built for anything!!!!