After Publicly Flogging Ben Simmons for His Mental Health “Excuses”, Shaquille O’Neal Finally Talks to a Medical Professional About the Nets Star’s Problems

Published 07/31/2022, 2:30 PM EDT

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is not one to hide his thoughts. A few months ago, he went all out to bash Brooklyn Nets star Ben Simmons regarding his gameplay and also his mental health. With his comments, Shaq sent headlines all around the world, with many bashing him for joking around a very sensitive topic.

Recently, Shaq invited a mental health expert to discuss the situation of mental health in athletes. As expected, he brought out the topic of Ben Simmons to the doctor.

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Shaq said, “When you have an athlete like Ben, who is a phenomenal athlete… There are a lot of great things in the NBA he was once touted to be…”

“When you see him break down in the playoffs game, as athletes we go straight to, ‘he’s not strong enough mentally’.” Shaq added.

The doctor, Lizz Beecroft, explains in detail that the mental health of an athlete can deteriorate due to various factors. She said, “There are a lot of things that factor into our mental well-being overall.“

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Interestingly enough, Lizz happens to be a Philadelphia 76ers fan, Ben’s previous team. Simmons joined the Brooklyn Nets after a blockbuster trade sent James Harden to the 76ers and Simmons to the Nets.

What did Shaquille O’Neal say about Ben Simmons?

Former 76ers star Ben Simmons was one of the biggest talking points of the 2021-22 season. He fell off with the franchise and refused to play for them. Subsequently, he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets and injury issues forced him out of the remainder of the season.

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During the Ben Simmons drama with the 76ers, Shaq brutally bashed the Australian and his mental health issues. O’Neal referred to his issues as ‘excuses’ and also talked about mental fortitude.

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According to the 4 time NBA champion, Simmons should build more mental fortitude and he said, “There is a difference between mental health and mental fortitude“.

Do you agree with Shaquille O’Neal regarding Ben Simmons? Let us know in the comments down below.

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Written by:

Abhinava is an NBA writer for EssentiallySports. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's in Journalism and Mass Communication. Abhinava has been following NBA for the past 6 years and is a huge fan of the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry.

Edited by:

Pritam Priyedarshi

After Publicly Flogging Ben Simmons for His Mental Health “Excuses”, Shaquille O’Neal Finally Talks to a Medical Professional About the Nets Star’s Problems

What did Shaquille O’Neal say about Ben Simmons?

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